


Duendertale

by Sagittarian_Solstice



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Epic battle, F/F, F/M, Fem Frisk - Freeform, Frisk doesn't remember timelines anymore, Frisk is a Sweetheart, Frisk is a biologist, Frisk is an adult, Gaster Flowey Chara working together eventually??, Gaster has a large role to play, Gen, I'm going to do my best at destroying hearts, M/M, POV Frisk, POV Sans (eventually), Protective Sans, Romance is on a back-burner, SUPER SLOW BUILD, Toriel doesn't fight, already had one happily ever after, bunch of sciency stuff, but not now, eventual POV Chara, eventual POV Gaster, feels in the future, gives blessings instead, it's not really staying mysterious though, like a lot-maybe too much idk, potential smut in LAST chapter, really liking writing this, sans does, sans is unhappy, sans will come in soon, things speed up in Waterfall, trying to keep some mystery going on, will they get a second?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-10 01:40:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 42,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7825243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagittarian_Solstice/pseuds/Sagittarian_Solstice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As a biologist, Frisk travels the world in search of new life, whether it be plant or animal. She finds herself in a rainforest near the fabled Mount Ebott. She knows that the mountain hides something and she's determined to find out. With the help of her trusty notebook and pencils, there is nothing that Frisk won't do to discover the truth behind the fear and mystery guarding the mountain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Principio

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is my first attempt at writing any kind of fanfiction. When I started this, I was in Costa Rica and I was using the surrounding mountains as inspiration.  
> http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/town-of-orosi-valle-orosi-with-irazu-high-res-stock-photography/135630979  
> This is called Duendertale because Duende is Spanish for fairy, though I'm using it in place of monster in some places. I tend to alternate between using monster and duende.  
> Please let me know if you are or aren't enjoying this. Constructive criticism is appreciated!

It was just another day. The local birds were singing their exotic songs, the flora expelling a myriad of different scents and flavors into the gentle breeze and the sun was finally out after a short bout of rainfall. The girl, Frisk, chattered away with some of the indigenous people of the village hidden deep in a valley of a lush rainforest. She had already been in this location for a few months, at first studying the language of the land and the rich culture that was offered. When she had first come to the village, she spoke only her own native tongue. Being in a survival type situation, she had mastered this new language in a very short amount of time.

She had come to this forest to study the flora and fauna. In the entire world, this was the best place on the planet to study the vast diversity of organisms that made the village as stunning as it was. There were hundreds of different kinds of animals, thousands of birds, and the insects and plant life were beyond number. Frisk had very lovingly dubbed the village as Mother Nature’s Oasis though in all actuality, it was named Ebott, mainly due to the towering mountain that made the valley famous in the eyes of biologists everywhere.

For the past few years, Frisk had been taken on as a biologist’s assistant, and some of the perks allowed for her to travel with biologists to various places around the globe. Despite being only twenty-five, she had been to dozens of countries, taking samples of the vast DNA that littered the locations and writing books about all the different plants and animals that were to be found in these locations. All her entries in her books came with very detailed illustrations of the topic in discussion.

“Quiero ir a la montaña Ebott, por favor. Necesito registrar y ilustrar sol animales y las plants por mi libro nuevo. Es muy importante termino ahora (I want to go to Mount Ebott. I need to record and illustrate the animals and plants for my new book. It’s very important that I be done now),” she frustratingly told some of the natives. The people refused to take her, however, and tried to explain that anyone who sets foot on the mountain will be cursed to never return to the living realm.

They told her of previous people that had gone up to the mountain. The people had started saying that the gods were telling them that they had a task to complete on the mountain. At first, they could fight the pull, but because it was a god that they were fighting, they were doomed to fail. The people would leave and never be seen again. When they were discovered missing, the family of the vanished would hurry to the Enchanted Healer for answers. The Enchanted Healer was believed to talk with the gods as a means of determining what they wanted from the people of the village who had disappeared. He always gave the same answer, “they were chosen to help in the Land of the Duende.”

The Duende were a type of spirit that could exist in a plethora of different forms, sometimes taking the more inconspicuous forms of a human, animal, or plant. Other times, they could take on horrifying and dreadful appearances, meant to haunt the viewer for life in their nightmares.

But as a biologist who in all her travels had never once seen anything that couldn’t be explained by science, Frisk was bound and determined to research the life that was hidden away on the mountain. She eventually bargained with the villagers to lend her supplies that would last her a month, camping equipment, and a map that would lead her as far as the mountain’s base.

The next morning, the sun rose at it’s usual 6:00 am. This close to the equator, the days began early, and then twelve hours later, ended just as early as they had began. It would take Frisk nearly half the day to reach the base of the mountain on horseback. The villagers loaded her supplies in the back of a small cart and loaded it on the saddle of her horse. Frisk quickly swung her leg over the back of the tall bronco and hurriedly said her goodbyes. It didn’t escape her notice however, that most of the villagers, instead of saying their usual parting words, said quick prayers and blessed her soul, asking the gods to spare the young lady in her trip to their domain. The hope in their eyes for her safe return filled her with determination.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

The rains of the valley had come and gone, leaving a path covered in humidity and mosquitos that a drenched Frisk had to traverse. The tall trees of the rainforest had helped at the beginning of the rain, their large leaves holding most of the water, but as time progressed, the weight of the water proved to be too much for the leaves, sliding off the edges and onto Frisk and her steed. The rain had made the forest floor slick with mud, and it was fairly often that even the sure-footed horse would slip or stumble.

Getting to the mountain took longer than Frisk had expected, nearly three hours more. Frisk knew that she was at the correct place however, when she came into a clearing at the base of the mountain that was completely enveloped in mist, and the summit of the mountain towered far above her before disappearing into the clouds. In the shadow of the mountain, Frisk set up a temporary camp, vowing to set up a more permanent base of operations near the middle of the mountain. She made herself some tortillas and used the queso crema to add a bit of flavor to the bland shells, then quickly set up her tent and sleeping bag, as well as her mosquito net. After unloading the cart from the horse, she tied the horse to a tree branch with a long lead, allowing the bronco to wander around the clearing for grass during the cool evening hours. With naught much else to do, Frisk settled down into her sleeping bag and fretfully drifted into dreams.

In her dreams, her mind pondered over the possible appearances of these mystical Duende. She saw at first, creatures that changed their skins into that of harmless looking plants while others chose animals, be it cows, horses, birds, fish, coatis, sloths, monkeys, or capybaras. But others, she noticed, grew to be very attractive humans. Charming in their manners and personality, while containing their vast powers and magic behind a façade or helplessness or friendliness.

Slowly, however, their faces began to warp, changing from gorgeous humans, to hideous monsters. Demons with eyes of blood and fangs sharper than the talons of the great owls of the north. One by one, they turned on her, claws tearing into her soft flesh despite her pleas to stop. She felt teeth and needles and spears shoot through her body, and screamed in agony.

Frisk’s eyes shot open, her heart beating rapidly behind her ribs and her breaths coming quick and shallow from fear. The darkness surrounding her held her captive, and no matter how much she squirmed, she was unable to break free. Flashes of green, purple, cyan, orange, teal, yellow, pink, and gold made their way across her eyes and through her mind. For some reason, each color brought along a certain emotion with it, though they were alternating so fast, she couldn’t even begin to match color and emotion. It was impossible for her to close her eyes, so she could only watch the colors as the emotions slashed against her soul, until only grey was left.

She sat there for what seemed like hours, sitting in the grey space. Tears fell from Frisk’s eyes, so she buried her face in her arms over her knees, and rocked herself back and forth, trying to end the visions that were plaguing her. When she dared lift her face, she was looking into eyes as black as an abyss. She tried to break free of their hold, but her struggles got her nowhere, only closer to exhaustion. The eyes slowly backed away from her, but as they did so, Frisk noticed that they belonged to a stark white face, with what appeared to be cracks going up from the right eye and down from the left, before they circled around towards the back of the creature’s head.

The creature reached out its hands towards her, holes in the place of palms, and fear began to overtake Frisk’s mind. When the hands were placed on either side of her face, their chill settling into the soft flesh of her cheeks, pain and pressure began forming behind her eardrums as the mouth of the creature began to speak. Gentle and wisp like at first, like fog on an autumn evening, Frisk was unable to make out the strange garbled words escaping from the throat of the demon. As it continued to speak, the pain and pressure combination in her head increased, until she was unable to stop screaming. As she slowly began to fade, the words that the spectre had spoken drifted through her numb mind: “ **YoU WilL DIe hERE**.” The last feeling that she could make out with her torn mind was the feeling of determination leaving her frail body.


	2. Segundo

The loud calls of howler monkeys near the clearing was the first thing that Frisk noticed. She then felt the discomfort of the bright sun making its way through the thin fabric of her tent and onto her still closed eyelids. Sitting up, sharp pains shot through her body, as though she had been through an extreme fitness regimen and her head felt like it was on the verge of an implosion. She gingerly cracked open her eyelids, tears immediately filling them as the harsh light reached them. A yawn escaped her parched lips as she waited slowly for her body to wake up. 

Checking her watch, she noticed that it was nearly nine in the morning. Normally this wouldn’t have been anything shocking, but without the aid of the village chickens to wake her as they usually did, she had slept much later than she had wanted. Forgetting her night terrors, Frisk broke down her camp within half an hour and wasted no time in loading everything into her small cart. Walking over to her tied horse, she shortened the lead, making it easier for her to saddle her mount and install the cart. She double checked around her camp quickly, pleased when it seemed that she had not forgotten anything, and quickly got as comfortable as she could on the back of the bronco. 

She was pleased that the fog from the evening before had dissipated slightly, allowing for her to better scope out a potential pathway that wouldn’t tire her mount too quickly. Deciding on a long forgotten and overgrown path that she could barely make out, she kicked the horse gently, prompting him to begin walking. Frisk expertly navigated the horse through slick patches of mud and around ageless trees, growing, perhaps, from the beginning of time itself. 

Through her travels up the side of the mountain, she had to struggle to not stop and begin her research on all the different plants and insects that were making themselves known to her. The fog had started to come in below her where it had formed the previous day, and so she decided that she would make camp right above where it ended. After hours upon hours of non-stop riding, she eventually broke free of the fog cage that had began to surround her, threatening to hide her overgrown pathway and strip away her sense of direction. 

Now out of the fog, Frisk looked around, and found a bit of land that was a bit more flat than the rest of her surroundings. She set up her camp again and afterwards, when she checked the time, her watch told her it was five in the evening. With only an hour of light left in her day, she grabbed her smaller notepad which she always carried with her, and a few sharpened pencils, deciding to begin recording some of the life that was immediately around her camp. 

She recognized quite a few of the plants, as she had been thorough in her endeavor in the village to record all the different flora that she found. However, there were many plants that she did not recognize. She started with the smallest of the plants. This one had tiny white flowers with lavender colored specks randomly scattered throughout, with leaves that slightly resembled the shape of spades from a deck of cards. She cut a small sample from the plant, a single flower with some leaves further down the stem. The sample was then tied upside down in her tent from a string that was woven into a complex geometric pattern to allow for maximum plant occupancy. Frisk then exited her tent, walked back over to the flowers, and measured the plant’s height, length, and width, before measuring the smallest and largest of the leaves and flowers that the lone plant could offer her. 

By the time she was done recording everything that she could think of, the sun had begun to set over the valley in front of her. She had wished that she had a decent camera in order to capture the untouched beauty that spread out before her eyes, but she did the next best thing that she could, which was watch with awe. The sun was a vibrant shade of orange, washing the valley in rich golden light. The sky was awash with the brightest shades of red and pink while the clouds shown in a deep and royal purple. Part of her heart wanted her to build a permanent home here, but another part, the larger part that appreciated nature and all she could learn from it, prevented her from further entertaining the thought of tainting the beautiful landscape. Surely, in her home, far away on another continent, used to once look like this, before people had noticed its splendor, and ruined it with homes, businesses, litter, and over-population. Watching as the sun finally sank below the mountains far to the west, Frisk couldn’t help but feel a tear slip from her eye, as the majestic splendor before her was slowly encased in darkness. 

Retreating to her tent, she fell back into her sleeping bag, and sleep did not take long to claim her tired mind and body. It wasn’t long until she began to dream. This time, instead of that terrifying monster that had tormented her the night before, this time she was visited by a large yellow flower. She quickly recognized it as a yellow ranunculus though she never knew that they could get so big, and wasted no time in running up to it, totally focused on taking the measurements of the gorgeous flower. However, once she approached, she was shocked in noticing that the flower somehow had a face. This was definitely abnormal as she had only ever recorded the flowers containing only one color or maybe two as they changed from the center to the outer petals. 

The flower then opened its eyes, and the girl fell back at the sight of them. They followed her as she moved around the small dark space, the vibrant green of the irises tearing at her soul almost painfully. But when the flower opened its small mouth, Frisk’s curiosity finally took control over her fear. She leaned forward, eagerly awaiting for what would happen next. 

“Golly, I’ve never seen you on the mountain. You must be new. Were you called here like the others were? If so, keep on walking up the path that you’re on. You’ll reach the summit soon. We can talk more there! Oh, and by the way, I’m Flowey! Flowey the Flower!” 

The flower’s--Flowey’s--voice, was extremely cheerful, like it hadn’t had company in quite some time. Frisk nodded up at what she supposed was a ‘him’, indicating that she would make her way up the mountain the following morning. She thought that she might be able to get some decent measurements from him, even if she wouldn’t be able to get a proper sample without hurting him. Though, she could always swab his leaves and petals with a Q-tip. Frisk brushed the thought from her mind, and allowed herself to fall back into dreams of what her scientific discoveries could lead her to. 

When she opened her eyes, the sun was still behind the mountain where she had slept. The dream from the night weighed heavily on her mind, so she decided to start walking towards the summit of Mount Ebott. She brought along a bottle of water, some apples and mamón, and her trusty pencils and notebook, all neatly packed inside her satchel, and began her accent. 

About five hours into her meandering hike, she noticed that the air was a bit thinner, the temperature a bit cooler. She figured she was close to the summit and decided that she would eat an apple when she had reached the top. Luckily, that was less than an hour later. Her hike, though strenuous on her legs, was pleasant with a lack of mosquitos and little humidity. She almost let out a chuckle at the thought that she could have been in a completely different country. But as she gazed out over the valley, and the surrounding mountains, she felt a piece of calm settle into her soul. Here she was, on top of a cursed mountain, enveloped in the rays of the warm sun and the sounds of nature and peace. 

Turning back from her spectacular view, she began her walk around the summit, looking for the large ranunculus. But no matter where she looked, she was disappointed to that she was unable to find the anomaly. She was beginning to start her descent, but she noticed her feet wouldn’t let her go past a certain point. Frisk thought it was strange, but decided to take one more look around the mountain before she had to go. She already knew that trying to walk down a mountain during the night was foolish and almost a sure-fire way to get herself hopelessly lost. 

Walking around the summit once more, she noticed a tiny little path that she hadn’t seen before. Instantly, her feet carried her to it. After only thirty feet or so, around a tiny rock outcropping, she noticed that there was a large cave. She walked into it, feeling the damp, cool air prickle her skin. Towards the back of the cavern, where the light didn’t reach, and all she could see was the slight dimness of her surroundings, Frisk’s foot caught on a rock. She fell forwards, catching herself with her hands, heart racing from the sudden adrenaline. A wetness started to trickle down her knee, so she rolled over and sat down, touching her sore limb and then bringing her fingers up to her nose, trying to detect copper. At least, that was her intention.

Instead, when she rolled over, she rolled into nothingness. Air rushed past her body, her screams catching in her throat. Fear caused her to panic, and in defense, her brain shut down. Frisk was grateful when the blackness of her mind took away the air around her, and allowed her to die painlessly.   
Or so she thought. It was much later when she began to stir, gingerly moving her achy body around. As Frisk sat up, she noticed immediately that her left wrist and right shoulder were dislocated, and her spinal injury from her childhood had reawakened. She figured that she had most likely landed on her upper back or on her right side and somehow her opposite wrist had made its way under her during the fall. 

Looking around in the dark, she was unable to see clearly, though under her hand she felt something akin to silk. Out of her peripheral vision, she could just make out a white or grey archway. Keeping her fingers against the wall, wincing as it slightly tugged at her shoulder, she carefully walked towards it. Through it, there was a shaft of light that had managed to filter its way through the dense foliage of the tropical forest above. In the light was her giant faced ranunculus! Reaching through her still-attached satchel, forgetting about the pain she felt, she was pleased to find that she still had her pencils and notebook. 

Walking cheerfully up to it, she held her notebook up to the flower, quickly scribbling down the length, height, and width of the flower itself, and then the length and width of the leaves that she could see. Frisk was so engrossed with her research, that she hadn’t noticed the flower had been staring at her the entire time. Flowey watched her, curious to what the human was doing with his growth information. He knew that he was larger than most of the other kinds of ranunculus, but he didn’t think he would stand out so much that he would have to be violated like he was. 

Stamping down his anger, he cleared his throat. Frisk jumped at the sudden noise and when she looked back at the flower, she noticed that it was staring at her. She briefly wondered if she should have asked before taking down the measurements of the flower Duende, but quickly tossed the thought from her mind when the flower began speaking in a familiar happy-go-lucky tone. 

“I see you finally made it! Though it looks like you had a rough landing. I hope you’re okay. If not, would you like me to help heal you? Down here, we Duende, or monsters as you English-speakers call us, can heal others through little friendliness pellets! The higher the LV, or LOVE, the better we can heal! So what do ya say? Are you ready to begin?” 

Frisk had to admit that she would much rather be rid of the burning in her shoulder, wrist, and spine, so she nodded eagerly.

“Excellent!” Flowey exclaimed. Frisk felt a tug inside her body, and noticed a red heart phase through her chest. A bit baffled, she looked up to the flower to explain. 

“That heart that you see in front of you is your SOUL! It is the very culmination of your being! Your SOUL is red, meaning you’re a very determined person! These pellets floating around me are the ones I was telling you about! Let them sink into your SOUL and they’ll take all your pain away! Ready? Here they come! Try to get as many as you can!” 

Frisk moved her SOUL, willingly rushing the pellets as Flowey had mentioned. But when they hit her, she didn’t feel a rush of healing, but instead, flames that licked up her flesh, rendering her helpless and weak. Her mind was engulfed in pain, and while she waited for it to ebb, she chanced a look at the flower, who had a demonic face in place of the one that had visited her in her dream. 

He laughed and in a darker, more perverse tone, celebrated, “You IDIOT! Down here, it’s KILL or BE KILLED!” His maniacal laughter tore through Frisk as she was surrounded by more of the not so friendly friendliness pellets. They converged on the helpless girl at an excruciatingly slow pace. Fear made her heart beat frantically inside her chest. With nowhere to run, Frisk gave herself up to the thought of her demise, and her eyes shut. 

The impact of the bullets on her SOUL never came, however. She opened her eyes when a softer voice spoke. 

“Oh my, what a cruel thing, attacking this poor young woman. Come, my dear. My name is Toriel. If you’ll allow me, I would like to bring you to my home so that you may rest. Is that okay?”

Frisk, however, did not answer. Instead, she relinquished her hold on consciousness, allowing herself to escape into that dark space once again. Though this time, she knew that she would not perish. Determination took ahold of her, and filled her SOUL.


	3. Tercera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm gonna try to get out a chapter a day if at all possible. I'm writing a chapter and then posting another,already completed chapter as I go. 
> 
> Also, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I may accidentally leave out information that results in continuity errors and I'd like to get those rectified as soon as possible.

When her eyes finally opened, Frisk was in an unfamiliar room. She wasn’t sure where exactly she was. There was another small bed across from the one that she occupied, and there seemed to be a larger box of sorts near her feet. Sitting up proved to be too difficult, as when she did, her body was overtaken by pain that took her breath away. Her shoulder seemed to be bandaged though, and her wrist tied to a splint. She did notice that her spinal injury seemed to have calmed itself down, which she supposed was a plus. 

She caught a whiff of something that smelled amazing, and when she turned her head over to the right, she noticed that on the floor was a plate that held some sort of pie on it. She could make out the scent of cinnamon, but was unable to place the other scent. It was very similar to Butterbeer that she had once tried at a Harry Potter World theme park in Orlando, Florida when she was young. There was only one problem, though. She was extremely famished and sore, and the plate was so far away, taunting her to forego her discomfort and dig into the dessert. 

Eventually, hunger won over the pain, and she slid out of the bed as smoothly as she could. It hurt a lot and she choked back a sob. Once she had gotten close enough to the plate, she pulled it forwards and laid on the floor, using her left hand to eat as it hurt slightly less than her right shoulder did. After she ate, exhaustion took back over her, and she closed her eyes again. 

This time, there were no dreams, at least none that she could remember. The only thing was darkness, and the whispered words “you will die here” that she had received in her first dream. She supposed she probably would, considering the locals wouldn’t come looking for her and the first Duende/monster had played nice until she was trapped in the dark cave with him. 

Frisk started to come to when she heard shuffling beside her sleeping form. Groggily, she opened her eyes and saw the white goat Duende in a purple dress--or was it a tunic--standing over her. She panicked, thinking that this one would hurt her as well, and sat up quickly, pushing herself against the wall and away from the tall beast. Her eyes hurriedly looked for a way out, but there were no windows, and only a single door, located clear on the other side of the room. 

The Duende, Toriel, it, or she, had called herself. Frisk’s mind decided female, remembering the voice that had spoken to her. Toriel put her hands--uh paws?-- up in a gesture that was supposed to be calming. When she spoke, her voice was soft and low, much like how someone would speak to placate a frightened animal. 

“My dear, I do not wish to harm you. I understand that the last being,” her face scrunched up at the memory of the evil flower Duende,” said something nearly of the same calibre. I had come in to check on you and I had noticed that you were on the floor, so I was putting you back into bed. I’m sorry I had put the plate so far away from you, my dear. I wasn’t thinking.”

Genuine guilt fluttered over Toriel’s face as she thought that the child had hurt herself more as a result of her carelessness. The apologetic nature and the fact that she actually was feeling better from eating the pie made Frisk a little less frightened. As her fear lessened, her scientific mind began to take over. The goat Duende was tall, nearly six and a half to seven feet in height. Bone structure appeared to be around medium, or perhaps large, though she had no other subjects to base this hypothesis on. Small horns rose from the crown of her skull and her hands where more paw-like than hooved. Frisk wondered about the feet and also if the goat monster had a tail. She could almost make out a more humanoid figure, as the monster seemed to have a rather large bust. Toriel also had long ears that brushed her shoulders, and Frisk guessed her to weigh nearly two to two hundred and fifty pounds.

“Would you care for some more cinnamon and butterscotch pie, my dear?” Toriel asked timidly. Frisk nodded quickly, not really thinking, but wanting to silently observe the monster for a tail and hooved feet without being rude. Toriel swiftly turned on her heel, no hooves to be seen, and a small bump towards the end of the spine nearly confirmed Frisk’s hypothesis of her hostess having a tail. Toriel returned a few moments later, with a larger slice of the pie and a fork. 

Frisk ate with a ferocity that rivaled that of starving lions, and every crumb was gone in only a matter of moments. Toriel smiled a bit, it pleased her to see someone thoroughly enjoying her cooking after so long. Taking the plate back, Toriel asked her guest a few questions, trying to get to know the young woman. Frisk shared that she was 25 years old, an aspiring scientist, and a travel enthusiast. She told Toriel about all the different places that she had been to visit in her few years, while Toriel sat back and enjoyed the tales with child-like enthusiasm. 

After Frisk had shared her stories, Toriel had shared hers. Of times when she wasn’t the care-taker of the ruins, of when she had been a mother, and of times when the monsters were able to freely roam the world. She told Frisk about the war between humans and monsters that took place so long ago, whenever Toriel herself had been a child. Frisk admitted almost guiltily that in the world above, the monsters had been forgotten and tossed into myths and legends. Toriel admitted that she had suspected as much, but was still a bit disheartened anyways. 

After talking for what seemed like hours, Frisk began to feel drowsy, the stress from the last few days catching up to her. Toriel helped tuck her back into bed and Frisk could see the Duende as a good mother. As Frisk drifted off, she couldn’t help the smile that showed itself on her face when Toriel brushed her hair out of her face, like her own mother had done for her in the past. 

A few weeks passed, and though Frisk’s shoulder and wrist never stopped hurting, everything else healed without trouble. Frisk was allowed to go outside Toriel’s home after a few days, and with her notebook and pencil, she recorded everything that she could about the Duende that resided in the ruins. Her favorite visitor was a ghost named Napstablook. He was very shy at first, and would vanish before she got to talk to him. Eventually, she got him to hang out with her, and determined that while he may be sad, he was super friendly and a lover of music. She admitted that she liked some music, but wasn’t a die hard fan for anything, and he nodded in understanding. Frisk was polite to him and always smiled at him, and eventually, he started coming with her on her excursions, asking about why she was doing what she was doing. When she told him that she was a scientist, or rather, that she really wanted to be, he perked up a bit, saying that he knew of a scientist that lived further into the Underground. Frisk determined that she would go once she couldn’t find anything else to study in the ruins.

While it took about a month in total, she eventually couldn’t wait anymore. There were no more Duende that lived in the ruins that she hadn’t recorded and she was beginning to get antsy. When she and Toriel sat down for dinner that night, she decided that she should tell Toriel what was in her heart. 

“Aunt Tori,” Frisk began, “I appreciate everything you have done for me. You’ve given me food, shelter, a place to heal, and love. I cannot thank you enough for everything, but if I can get to the surface, I’m sure I could find some way to pay you back. I’m not sure how to say this exactly, but I believe it’s about time I took my leave.” Frisk looked down at her hands as she finished getting the words out of her mouth. 

Toriel was quiet for a moment, pondering the best way to answer her newly ‘adopted’ niece. Eventually, there was a sigh, and Toriel stood from her seat. 

“You already know what I’ve told you about Asgore, and that he only needs one more human SOUL in order to break the barrier. If you go, he will not stop his pursuit of you until you are dead and your SOUL in his grasp. Yet, you still wish to go?” Tears were in Toriel’s eyes as she forced out the last word. Frisk nodded softly, so soft it would have been missed if Toriel hadn’t been watching her intently. 

Frisk spoke up, “I know, Aunt Tori, but my wanderlust and desire to study that which I do not know is tearing at my heart. I’ve been here for a month, you’ve seen how I record little bits of information. I’ve no more left to collect without proper scientific supplies, like a microscope, and slides, and a DNA analyser. I’ve done all I can in this part of the Underground. Please give me your blessing to go beyond the Ruins.”

Toriel stared hard into Frisk’s eyes, and as if sensing the determination that the small human carried within her, let out a sigh of defeat. “Okay, my child, pack what you think you will need. It’s cold beyond the door, so I suggest a thick coat and socks. I will pack some food for your travels.”

Getting up quickly from her seat, Frisk ran up to Toriel and gave the friendly Duende a tight hug, before letting go and running to her room. With tears in her eyes, Toriel gathered the plates from dinner and walked forlornly into the kitchen. Frisk felt determination blossom in her SOUL.


	4. Cuarto

They met at the stairs, before walking down together. When they made it to the end of the long hallway, Toriel handed the packed food to Frisk and gave her one last hug before walking back down the hallway towards her home. Frisk, using her left side, pushed the heavy door with all her might. It slowly began to open, and when she had enough space, she slipped out from the warmth and safety of the ruins into the frozen forest before her. 

Frisk decided that it might be best if she were to find shelter first before beginning to record the plants and Duende in the forest, and so, she trekked onwards through the snowy path. It was fairly straightforward, so she wasn’t too worried about getting lost. As she walked, she noticed a large limb lying across the path. Frisk had half a mind to pick it up and use it as a walking stick, but decided against it when she realized that she would be unable to pick it up from her still dislocated shoulder and wrist. Neither Frisk nor Toriel knew how to fix it so they had just left it be. So instead of picking it up, Frisk stepped over it. Perhaps someone else would be able to use it? 

She kept walking, admiring the height of the trees, and also sending a silent thanks towards Toriel for the warning about the cold temperatures. As she looked around, she heard a noise behind her, almost like footsteps, but when she turned, there was no one there. Her steps came quicker, but when she heard the snapping of a branch, the branch that she had definitely NOT stepped on, her legs started to move faster until she was in an all out run. She thought she glanced something keeping pace with her in the treeline, but she wasn’t about to stop and make sure. She ran faster, and soon there was a bridge of sorts up ahead of her. There was some sort of gate, but she was so small, she doubted that it would stop her. But when one of her feet touched the wood of the bridge, her body was encased in blue, holding her to the spot. She struggled, but was unable to get free. She noticed that her body was warming up and she could only assume it was from the blue light. Then, there was a deep baritone voice behind her. 

“Human, don’t you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hand.”

She didn’t want to, but she tried to turn, stopping when she felt that the blue light still held her firmly in place. 

“C-can’t.” Frisk stammered out, fear blocking her throat. She heard the voice behind her chuckle a bit, almost easy going. The blue light vanished from around her, and when she turned around, she came face to face with a skeleton in a blue hoodie, black shorts, and pink slippers. He wore a large grin and held his hand out expectantly. Cautiously, Frisk reached out, gripping his hand. He squeezed her hand tightly, but not tight enough to hurt her. Her racing mind was interrupted by a peculiar sound, and though she recognized it immediately, she knew that it wasn’t something to be done in polite company. 

“Hehehehe, the ol’ whoopee cushion in the hand trick. It’s ALWAYS funny. Anyways, you’re a human, right? That’s hilarious. Hehehe. My name is Sans, Sans the Skeleton.” He smiled down at her, as it seemed he was only three or four inches taller than her 5’2 self. 

“Frisk,” she managed to get out, her fear beginning to dissipate at the sight of his friendly smile. His smile grew just a bit bigger, seeing pleased to meet someone new. 

“Well, I hope you know, that you leaving those Ruins was a pretty big risk. You see, I’m supposed to be looking out for humans. Luckily for you, I’ve already gotten a skele-ton of work today and now I just want to be a lazy-bones. Now my brother, Papyrus, he’s a human-hunting fanatic. Hey, actually, I think that’s him over there. I have an idea. Go through that gate thingy. My brother made the bars too far apart to catch anything.” Sans quickly pushed her through, being careful not to hurt her, just rush her. They walked a few paces and were now near a sentry stand of some sort with some ugly lamp in the middle of the snow for no apparent reason.

“Now quick, behind that conveniently-shaped lamp.” He gently shoved her forwards and after a quick recovery on a stumble, Frisk hid behind the strange lamp. She was hidden not a moment too soon, because a taller skeleton ran into view, apparently looking for something or someone. He stopped when he saw Sans, his loud tenor nearly deafening Frisk despite her having a good distance from the newcomer. 

“BROTHER! THERE YOU ARE YOU LAZYBONES! YOU’VE HAD ALL DAY AND YOU STILL HAVEN’T RECALIBRATED YOUR PUZZLES! I SWEAR YOU GET LAZIER AND LAZIER EVERYDAY!”

“Relax bro, I’ve gotten a ton of work today. A skele-ton,” Sans replied with a wink. Frisk could already guess that that was his favorite pun.

“SANS! I’VE NO TIME FOR YOUR PUNS TODAY! WHAT IF A HUMAN PASSES THROUGH? WE NEED TO BE READY TO CAPTURE THEM! THAT WAY I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE ACCEPTED BY UNDYNE INTO THE ROYAL GUARD! I WILL GET ALL THE THINGS THAT I WANT IN LIFE! POWER, PRESTIGE, POPULARITY!” If it was possible, Frisk was convinced that his voice managed to get even louder on the final word. Sparing a peek around the lamp, she observed a patient smile on Sans’ face. 

“Maybe my lamp over there can help with that.” Frisk felt the color drain from her face as she heard Sans throwing her to his brother.

“SANS! I MEAN IT! GET TO WORK! AND MAYBE THIS TIME YOU CAN PUT SOME MORE BACKBONE INTO IT! NYEH HEH HEH!” Laughing at his own terrible pun, Papyrus ran off back the way he came at a tremendous pace.

“Come on out now, kiddo,” Sans drawled out. Frisk tentatively walked out from behind her hiding space and up to the grinning skeleton. He placed a hand on her shoulder and Frisk flinched a bit at the pain. 

“Something wrong with it? Feels a bit funny..and even I know that’s not your funny bone.”

“Yeah, dislocated it ages ago and wasn’t sure how to put it back without making it worse,” Frisk admitted, feeling a bit silly admitting her own ignorance. 

“Well, I’ll tell ya what, I’ll pop it back into place, free of charge. You might wanna get something to bite. Tibia honest, this won’t feel too swell,” he warned. 

Frisk nodded before getting her jacket sleeve near her mouth, but then remembered something.

“Can you fix my left wrist, too, please? It got injured when I fell..” Sans nodded and once the fabric was in her mouth, he quickly shoved the bone back into place. Tears sprang to Frisk’s eyes at the sudden pain. Wasting no time, Sans took care of her wrist as well. When her whimpers faded and the tears were able to be blinked away, she looked up at skeleton. He had nearly gotten her captured, or so she had thought, but then he turned around and helped her. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be wary of this Duende or thankful to him. 

His permanent grin fixed on her and she supposed that he might be like her Toriel, very friendly. She returned the smile, but when a sneeze overtook her, she was surprised. She began to notice that snow had melted on her shoes and the lower portions of her pants, the cold settling into her legs. At this moment, Sans motioned for her to follow him. 

“Icee that you’re getting a bit cold there, buddy, frozen even. You’re in luck. My sentry station over there is just the thing you need to thaw out.” He let her in through a door on the side and as soon as she crossed the threshold, warm air began to welcome her to stay for awhile. 

“Since you’re gonna be here awhile, why not tell me why you’re here, kid. It isn’t often that we get strangers to the Underground.” 

Frisk told him the same story she had told Toriel, that she was a scientist studying the flora and fauna of the region because it was the most diverse place in the world. Reaching in her bag, she passed him her notebook, filled with entries on the Duende and plants she had found in the Ruins as well as what she had seen on the surface of the mountain. Sans looked over the information, taking in everything that she had carefully transcribed, nearly getting lost in the details of the surface world. He especially enjoyed the sketchings of everything she had seen. 

“Can I take a picture of these? I’ve never seen the surface and I’d like to have more time to go over these,” he asked a bit sheepishly.

“Of course! I honestly didn’t think you’d be that interested in them. It’s uncommon on the surface for people to care much about the tiny details.”

Sans pulled out a cellphone and carefully lined up the pages before snapping a clear picture of each individual page.

“Same down here. I owe you one, consider it as one scientist to another,” he responded. Frisk felt her jaw drop in shock.

“Wait!? You’re a scientist?” Frisk nearly shouted in excitement. Sans let out a chuckle as he pocketed his phone in his blue hoodie. 

“Used to be. Worked under the Royal Scientist. Gave it up when he disappeared though.” Sans shrugged, as though the information wasn’t that impressive, but Frisk got the distinct feeling he didn’t want to talk about it. 

“Well, considering that you now owe me one, perhaps I can use some help. I’m recording everything that I see down here and while I wish I could take samples, I don’t want to hurt anyone, nor do I have a way to carry them with me. So I’m settling for recording everything about everything and anyone that I meet. So would you allow me to ask you some questions? I’m sure you can get a general idea of what I want from my notes. And if you want to, would you like to come with me and help me with recording information?” Frisk nearly said all of this in a single breath due to her excitement. Sans found himself wondering how she hadn’t passed out from the lack of oxygen, but he found himself nodding. He watched as a big grin spread across the girl’s face and he felt a flutter inside his SOUL. 

Huh, that’s strange. Normally it takes longer for that to happen.. 

Shaking the thought from his mind, he held out a boney hand to the girl in front of him. She gripped it and shook, sealing the deal between the new co-workers. At this moment, her stomach decided it was about time to introduce itself. A blush made its way across Frisk’s face as she began to rummage through her satchel. She brought out her two last mamón from the surface. She offered one to Sans, who accepted it hesitantly. He watched as Frisk dug her fingernail into the thick red flesh and begin to pull it off, exposing a round milky inside. When she had finished eating, she showed him the large white seed on the inside as a warning. He copied her motions, and materialized a tongue for him to taste the exotic fruit. Taking a bite, he noticed it was kind of rubbery as far as texture, had a good bit of juice, and was very sweet. Careful to avoid biting hard into the seed, he pulled off all the meat the fruit had to offer, enjoying the treat. After careful deliberation, he pocketed the seed, fully intending to make it grow so he could have more. 

Looking back at Frisk, she had grabbed more fruit from her bag and was offering some to him, though these were able to be grown in the Underground. Sans declined the offer, knowing that once she was on her way, he’d stop by Grillby’s. 

She had finished eating her fruit and was finally warm and dry again. Frisk made as if to leave when she noticed Sans shifting his weight back and forth on his feet. She figured it was most likely getting late as she felt a heaviness behind her eyes and she still needed to make it to Snowdin. 

She walked out of the sentry station with Sans following behind her. 

“If you keep walking down that way, you’ll get to Snowdin soon. Though my bro is up ahead with some puzzles. I’ll help ya as you get to them, someone has to keep an eye socket out for ya,” he said, seemingly reading her mind. 

“Pap isn’t dangerous, just a bit excitable. It’ll mean a lot to him, and me, if you just play along.”

Frisk nodded in agreement, promising Sans that she would. As loud as the other brother was, she felt like he would be a nice friend to have. Walking in the direction that Sans had pointed out, she almost immediately came across a puzzle. Papyrus was there and so was Sans. She briefly wondered how he had gotten there before her is she had left before him.

“AH! HELLO THERE HUMAN! MY BROTHER WARNED ME OF YOUR APPROACH! THIS IS THE FIRST PUZZLE, THE ELECTRICITY MAZE! MADE BY ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! NYEH HEH HEH! IF YOU MESS UP, YOU WILL GET A HEARTY ZAP!”

As if to demonstrate, he took a step forwards, only for nothing to happen. Frisk took a step and breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened. Papyrus seemed to notice as well and he vented his frustrations on his brother.

“SANS! WHY IS THE PUZZLE NOT WORKING?”

“Dunno bro, maybe it's not feeling amped up at the moment? Why not ask it watt’s up?”

Papyrus threw his hands in the air and groaned in annoyance. When he turned back to Frisk, he had a surprisingly apologetic look on his face.

“I AM SORRY, HUMAN. YOU WERE EXPECTING PUZZLES AND I HAVE LET YOU DOWN!” Frisk couldn’t leave him looking as down as he did and tried to think of something to help brighten his souring mood.

“It’s okay, Papyrus the Great! I’m sure your next puzzle will surely best me! I believe in you!” 

His saddened demeanor perked up at hearing Frisk’s kind words. He turned to look at his brother, stars and sparkles shining in his eyes.

“DID YOU HEAR THAT, SANS? THE HUMAN BELIEVES IN THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” He turned back to Frisk quickly to address her.

“THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT, KIND HUMAN! I WILL NOT FAIL YOU AND WILL CAPTURE YOU WITH THE NEXT PUZZLE! NYEH HEH HEH!” He turned and ran down the path at full speed, and Frisk couldn’t help but laugh at how childlike and adorable Papyrus was. She walked through the rest of the puzzle and stood next to Sans who was staring off after his brother. 

“Isn’t my bro so cool? And thanks for what you said to him. I think you may have just made his day. Also, the next puzzle is something I made, so you can walk right past it, okay, kiddo?” Sans followed after his brother after he said that, and Frisk followed after them. 

When she got to the new puzzle, she noticed a piece of paper sitting on the ground in front of the brothers. She walked up to it after waving to Papyrus, and picked it up while sitting down in front of it, despite what Sans had told her. Her face brightened up when she noticed it was a word search. She really wanted to solve it, but soon became aware it was unsolvable when none of the words matched up to the puzzle. 

Looking back at the brothers, she spoke, “I’m sorry but I am unable to solve this one.”

Papyrus walked over to her and took the puzzle out of her hands. 

“HUMAN, THIS IS EASY! JUNIOR JUMBLE IS DIFFICULT!”

“I’m sorry, but it is very hard for me. I’m sure Junior Jumble will be that much harder. I’m not as smart as you. Perhaps once I’ve been captured, you can teach me how to win, okay?” Frisk smiled up at Papyrus, whose face was once again lightened up but her words. 

“OF COURSE, DEAR HUMAN! I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP YOU SOLVE PUZZLES ONCE YOU ARE CAPTURED!” 

Getting an idea, Frisk decides to try it out, “Hey, the Great Papyrus?”

“YES, HUMAN?” 

“If you capture me now, we can solve puzzles together on the way to Snowdin. Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Frisk smiled kindly up at the tall Duende.

“THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA, HUMAN!” He reached a hand out towards her. As Frisk grabbed it, he carefully pulled her to her feet.

“SANS, THE HUMAN WILL BE COMING WITH US! SHE HAS SURRENDERED!” Sans winked at Frisk and a large smile was spread across his skull. Frisk, smiled back, allowing the taller skeleton to hold her softly by the arm. 

The puzzles went by much quicker now that Papyrus was no longer explaining, just helping Frisk solve them. He encouraged her to do her best and it wasn’t long before the group had made it to Snowdin. 

“HUMAN, NORMALLY I WOULD TAKE THE CAPTURED TO A SPECIAL HOLDING CELL, BUT BECAUSE YOU’RE REALLY NICE, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU SO SPEND THE NIGHT AT OUR HOME!” 

“Okay, but on one condition.” Papyrus eyed her warily before nodding at her to continue. 

“Please call me Frisk,” she said. Her captor smiled brightly at her before nodding excitedly. 

“OF COURSE, HU-FRISK! IT IS A VERY NICE NAME, FITTING FOR A VERY NICE HUMAN! NOW LET US GO INSIDE FOR A LOVELY HOME COOKED MEAL!” The group had already made it to a large wood cabin that had two mailboxes in front of it. One was super tidy while the other was overflowing with unopened letters. Frisk, feeling cold once again, was ushered inside by the Skele-bros. It was pretty bare, but it looked comfortable enough and she was happy to be somewhere warm. 

“FRISK! DO YOU LIKE SPAGHETTI?” Papyrus shouted. She told him that she loved spaghetti and his face lit up again before he rushed off to what she could only assume was a kitchen. She was left alone with Sans. 

“Thanks for playing with Paps today, kiddo. It’s been awhile since he’s been this happy. Stick around here as long as you want. You can either sleep in my room or on the couch.”

Frisk decided to take the couch. She sat down on it, legs exhausted from the long walk through the snow. It wasn’t long before determination nestled into her tired mind and she allowed her eyes to close for a few moments.


	5. Quinto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still going strong. I expect to be able to at least post into the double digits as far as chapters are concerned. I'm estimating between 15 and 20 chapters. I've gotten up to nine written right now. It may go further than that though. I'm just gonna take my time.
> 
> I'm glad to see so many people are enjoying this. I was worried at first that this might turn out to be a dud, but I'm happy at the support I'm getting. Thank you all so much. 
> 
> \------------  
> In this chapter, it's still slow, lots of science talk about how magic exists and whatnot. Gets a bit awkward but maybe not too awkward?

When her eyes fluttered open, she was laying on a green couch, and for the first time in what nearly felt like forever, neither her wrist nor shoulder hurt. At first, Frisk was confused, but as the memories of the previous day surfaced within her mind, she relaxed. She was safe and warm, with a skeleton captor and a skeleton co-worker watching over her. She got up and walked over to the kitchen area, where she discovered a plate of spaghetti waiting for her. A note sat next to it that read: FRISK, YOU FELL ASLEEP BEFORE I FINISHED COOKING! SANS ASKED ME TO LET YOU SLEEP! WHEN YOU’RE READY, PUT THE SPAGHETTI IN THE MICROWAVE! UNLESS YOU LIKE COLD SPAGHETTI, IN WHICH CASE, YOU’RE WEIRD! SIGNED BY THE GREAT PAPYRUS!

Frisk chuckled softly and put the plate in the microwave like she was instructed. Keying in the nuke time, she then stared in a hostile manner towards the microwave, watching the seconds tick down. When the microwave reached five seconds, she put her hand on the handle, getting ready to open the door before the last second could signal the timer. But she was too slow, and the timer sounded despite her best efforts. A chuckle behind her startled her out of the slight stinging of embarrassment that she was too slow. 

Sans was standing in the doorway, wearing a white T-shirt and some black shorts, feet still wrapped up cozily in his faded pink slippers. 

“Thought I heard you down here, though I didn’t expect a show this morning,” his baritone drawled out lazily. Frisk felt the heat creep up her face that he had witnessed her trying and failing to beat the annoying timer. She didn’t quite understand why she felt embarrassment that it was Sans who had caught her, but she shrugged it off as she smiled at Sans before explaining.

“Yeah, sorry. I was trying to open the door before the timer went off so I didn’t wake anyone.”

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo, I was already awake. Thought I could keep you company while you eat and figure out where you want to start with this data gathering party that I’ve been so kindly invited to partake.”

“Well, I could start with you, measure your height, bone width and length, density, take your weight. The the rest would be questions about lifespan, reproduction, how you’re living if you’re a skeleton. That sort of stuff.” 

“Are all humans this nosey about personal stuff?” Sans asked as a blue blush extended over his cheekbones. Frisk didn’t miss the blush and made a mental note to scribble it down when she had her notebook.

“Yes, well, scientists like me are. There are others who only care about physics and chemistry. I was never good with math, but I really liked biology and anatomy and physiology. I don’t typically have to ask people about themselves because there’s a baseline already established. Until now, the Duende, that’s everyone here, have only been remembered by the village closest to the mountain though legends persist all over the globe of monsters. Science has basically declared you guys as an extremely low-probability for existence,” she explained to the enraptured skeleton. 

Sans got up and left the room. Frisk heard him in the living room and when he came back, he had her notebook and a pencil, which he passed to her before taking a seat across from her. 

“Well, because I am a monster, I am living through magic. Everyone down here has some sort of magic attached to them. Only a few of us can use it beyond existing, though. Some can use their magic offensively, defensively, or healing. Most of us who can use magic either have one or two of those types of magic, though the King is the only one who possesses all three abilities. I personally have offensive and defensive magic. My brother has defensive and healing abilities,” Sans took a pause, letting Frisk scribble his words down rapidly. Once she had caught up, he continued.

“When a monster uses all of their magic, they fall down. Those who fall down never wake up again, and after a week or so, they naturally turn to dust. It happens very rarely.”

Frisk took this time to inject a few questions of hers, “Now what is magic? Can you show me? Humans don’t possess it. What’s it made of? Is it tangible?”

“We’ve never had a way to determine its chemical makeup as it fades too quickly when it’s out of our bodies. Some of us can materialize magic if we need to, but that makes it akin to a normal bodily attachment. If someone attempts to remove it, it causes pain. For instance..” Sans materialized his blue tongue and stuck it out at Frisk, laughter shaking his body when her face expressed shock. She reached out a hand and touched it, finding it to be similar to her own, if a bit smoother and the magic saliva more sticky. She pulled her hand away, watching with interest as the blue saliva stuck to her hand and faded away moments later, leaving no trace of its existence.   
“Can you taste when you materialize your magic?” She asked. Sans just nodded and let Frisk watch as he let the tongue dissipate into oblivion. Frisk quickly recorded everything that she could while Sans pinpricks lit up with amusement. 

This girl had really killer expressions and he found himself wanting to see them more and more. When she looked shocked to see his tongue, he couldn’t fight the laughter, though it shocked him when she touched it. He wasn’t expecting her to do that and then watch the magic on her fingers fade. The slightly salty taste was still on his tongue as he let her watch the magic that was his tongue fade away. It almost looked like she wanted to crawl into his mouth to see where it had gone, though thankfully, she remained in her seat. 

He thought back to how soft her fingertips had been and part of him began to imagine how they would feel dancing around another, not currently there, member of his. No! This was no time for those thoughts to be bouncing around his skill.

Shaking his head, he focused his thoughts on another topic she had expressed an interest, his lifespan.   
“How long do you humans live, kiddo?”

She thought about it for a moment, before responding, “Worldwide, the average is just over 70 years though women tend to live about five years longer than men do. Though it’s not uncommon for people that live in wealthier countries to live to 100 years or more. The record for longest lifespan though was given to a lady who lived to be 122. Right now, I’m 25.”

Sans thought about it a moment before answering, “In human years, I’d be around 26. Papyrus would be closer to 21. Every monster here has a different lifespan depending on their species. For us skeletons, it’s around 500 years give or take. That would make you the equivalent of a 5 year old. Aw man, I gotta tell Paps about this now. He’ll love to know about the babybones in our midst.” 

With that, he quickly stood up and hurried up the stairs to wake his brother. There was a loud slamming of a door and Papyrus was standing before Frisk with his shorter brother being held over his shoulder with a sheepish grin. 

“FRISK, IS IT TRUE THAT YOU’RE A BABYBONES?!” His loud voice took over the previous conversational quiet that had blanketed the kitchen and Frisk nodded, a patient smile on her face. “WOWIE! I CANNOT CAPTURE A BABYBONES! THAT WOULD BE UNETHICAL! YOU SHALL STAY HERE AND SANS AND I WILL RAISE YOU!”

“Papyrus, in human years, I’m an adult. I’m a quarter of the way through my life, assuming I live to be 100 years old. It’s only in skeleton years that I’m a baby.” She tried to explain to the hyper being in front of her. 

“WELL, I WILL NOT KEEP YOU CAPTURED! YOU’RE TOO NICE OF A BABYBONES FOR THAT! I WILL TELL UNDYNE THAT YOU’RE TOO YOUNG TO BE CAPTURED FOR THE BREAKING OF THE BARRIER AND THAT WE CAN WAIT FOR A DIFFERENT HUMAN THAT ISN’T NICE! NYEH HEH HEH!”

Frisk sent over an inquisitive look at Sans when Papyrus mentioned the barrier. Toriel had mentioned something about it, but she never went into detail about it no matter how many times Frisk asked or how she had phrased her questions. 

Sans nodded back at her, and she felt like he’d answer her question when his brother wasn’t around. Papyrus gently placed his brother back on the ground before kicking him and Frisk out of the kitchen so he could cook breakfast. Frisk offered to help but Papyrus would have nothing of it, instead suggesting that she and Sans make themselves comfortable in his living room. 

Once out of earshot, Frisk began, “What can you tell me about the barrier? Aunt Tori never answered me when I asked her about it.”

The name shocked Sans. “How do you know the Que-Toriel?” He asked, catching himself at the last second. If Toriel hadn’t told the human she was the wife of King Asgore, then he wouldn’t spill her secret.

“She took care of me for over a month when I was in the Ruins. She found me after I had been attacked by a large flower and healed me to the best of her abilities. After she showed me around the Ruins, she let me start talking with all the other monsters down there. I learned a lot from everyone while there.” Frisk recalled, a gentle smile taking over her features. “I really miss Aunt Tori, I hope she’s doing well.”

“I’m sure she is, bucko. Well, the barrier was put in place by humans many years ago. It keeps us trapped down here. In order to break it, we need either seven different colored human SOULS or one extremely powerful SOUL.”

“What color SOUL do you need? Aunt Tori told me that only one more was needed because six humans had already been taken.” 

“I think a red one is needed. So far, there’s orange, yellow, green, cyan, indigo, and purple. Though, if a powerful one comes, they can be released to go wherever it is that they go if the powerful one is used to break the barrier.” 

Frisk had grown silent, in her time in the Ruins, she had learned of the color of her SOUL, and it was indeed red, though she did not know if it was powerful. However, she might be able to help them get free a different way. 

“Something wrong, kiddo?” Sans asked. He had noticed her sudden change in demeanor and it made him both worried and curious. Using his magic eye, he peered inside her, and saw her bright red SOUL pulsating strongly. Fuck me, I shouldn’t have said anything. She knows her color. 

Frisk shook her head and smiled up at her companion. “I was just thinking. Nothing to worry about, Sans,” she brushed his concern away. He reached out and ruffled her hair playfully, a silent promise to keep her safe. He really felt the need to protect her, the need burning throughout his bones.

“Ready to continue your research, kid?” He asked, bringing Frisk out of her thoughts again. She snapped out of it easily enough, and soon had a measuring tape, recording Sans’ height, the length and width of all 206 of his bones, and his weight. Afterwards, she looked back over her data and found she only had one question left. 

Sans knew it was coming and braced himself to hear it, a blue flush overtaking his features. “So how do skeletons reproduce?” She inquired.

“Well, this is how all monsters reproduce. We may look different, but we are all monsters. We bring out our SOULS and merge them with another. Together, they fuse and a smaller SOUL begins to bud off the side of the two combined SOULS, getting equal power from each one. It then separates and a body forms around it, giving life into a new monster. It’s a very complicated process, often taking many hours of hard work and concentration. Because it takes so much magic, few of us want to risk reproducing, as many times one of the parents falls down afterwards. Also, anyone can have a child with anyone. I think I remember for humans there has to be a biological male and a biological female involved.” Frisk nodded in confirmation. 

“And in theory,” Frisk began,” if a monster and a human one day wanted to reproduce, it would not be possible for them as humans lack magic, correct?” Sans made a noise that signaled his agreement.

“Okay, well, I don’t believe that I have anymore questions for you at this time. I may get some more after I look over everything though. Thank you for helping me, Sans.” Frisk beamed up at him, sending another blush across his face.

“Uh, yeah, no problem, kiddo.” 

A few moments passed as neither of them knew what to say towards the other, but Frisk finally gathered up her courage to ask him another question.

“Sans?” She started hesitantly. Sans looked at her, waiting for her to continue. “Would you show me around town, please? I’m gonna be here for a good while. I saw lots of plants in the woods that I need to record and I’m sure that a ton of monsters live around here. I’d like to make friends with them eventually and then record their information as well. But before that, I need to know my way around this place so I’m not a bother to you and your brother.”

“I doubt you’d be a bother to either of us, doll, but sure, I’ll show you around. We can go now if you want.” Frisk quickly stood up and put on her coat and shoes while Sans just sat and watched her. She looked excited and it made his bones feel good to see her happy. He teleported to his room for his hoodie, and then back down to the couch before she had noticed he had left. When she turned around and he was ready, she stared in wonder. She hadn’t heard him get off the couch, but there he was, ready to go on her trip. 

He laughed when she turned to him and he could see the gears grinding in her head as she tried to figure out just how he had gotten past her without her noticing. He merely winked at her before telling his brother that they were going out. 

Notebook and pencil in hand, Frisk smiled, and was filled with determination.


	6. Sexto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Sans and Frisk spend some time together and we get to learn about something interesting? At least I think so. Get to learn a bit about the past of our favorite skele-bro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for all of the support given to me. I'm having fun writing this and knowing that people are interested in reading it. I hope you all enjoy Chapter 6, okay?

The day quickly passed with Sans showing Frisk the tiny town of Snowdin. He pointed out the Inn and the Shop, and told her that she could purchase more paper if she ran out at the Shop. His next stop was slightly north of the town, where he pointed out a wolfish Duende throwing huge blocks of ice into the river. Sans explained to Frisk that he does that to keep the Core from overheating.

When Frisk’s stomach began to growl, Sans took her by the hand and lead her to Grillby’s. 

“Grillb’s makes the best burgers and fries in all of the Underground. He’ll have you full in no time.” Sans explained as he walked through the door. 

All the monsters greeted him, and Frisk determined that he was either extremely popular, or was a regular that practically lived there, or even both of those things. He lead her to the bar and sat next to her. Grillby, a tall but quiet flame Duende walked over to the couple, and inclined his head as if asking for what they wanted. Sans ordered burgers and fries for both of them, and then a beverage for Frisk. Grillby then walked through a door at the back of the bar. 

While waiting for the food, Sans cracked joke after joke and had Frisk crying from her hard laughter. She begged him to stop, and when he would, she’d begin to calm down before thinking of the joke again and her laughter would resume. Sans found it to be quite contagious, and was soon laughing along with her. 

“Geez, kid, don’t bust a gut,” to which Frisk responded, “I can’t help it, Sans. You hit my funny bone. I’ve already cracked a rib.”

“I gotta hand it to ya, kiddo, you got a leg up on me with these jokes.”

“I gotta get you your kicks somehow. Consider it thanks for the humerus time you’ve given me.”

Sans laughed harder when he heard half the bar give out a groan. Grillby had just returned with their food as the laughter was dying down and he gave Sans a look that told him to keep his puns to himself. Waving a hand, Sans gave in to Grillby’s whisper of a threat, a grin still plastered on his face.

Frisk quickly dug into her food, savoring the flavor before moving onto the next bite. She felt a bit sad when she finished her food, but her stomach had quit fussing at her. 

“How was it?” Sans asked as she licked a bit of the salt from her fries off her thumb.

“It was terrific. I’ve never had anything that was a good as this.” She grinned at her friend, but it quickly began to falter. “Sans, I don’t have anything to help pay for this. I’m sorry.” 

Sans waved a hand at her apology, “Forget it, kiddo. Grillby,” he said, turning his attention away from his companion, “put it on my tab, will ya?” The living flame nodded and waved in parting as Sans got off his seat. Frisk thanked Grillby for his amazing cuisine, and then followed after Sans, thanking him when she caught up to him at the door. 

“Heh, no problem, doll. Though, if you really want to thank me, follow me.” He said with a teasing lilt to his voice. Frisk did as he asked, questions rolling in her mind. Soon, they were back at the brothers’ house, but instead of going in through the front door, Sans led her to a door at the back. He pulled out a key and unlocked the door, before gesturing to her that she enter first. 

Inside, there was a large blanket covering something, but other than that and a large screen on the wall, the room was completely bare. Sans studied Frisk as she looked around the spacious room. He walked over to the wall under the screen and pressed, a drawer popping out of place. He rummaged around inside until he passed a piece of paper to Frisk. Taking it in her hand, she flipped it over. It was a photograph with three people, the words “don’t forget” written at the bottom margin. Upon studying the picture, she recognized Sans and Papyrus immediately. Sans, with his signature blue hoodie and two fingers making rabbit ears behind someone and Papyrus, striking a valiant pose like he had just defeated a huge evil without breaking a sweat. They looked like they hadn’t aged a day, but it wasn’t them that caught her attention. Between the brothers was a tiny human, a child who had to be no older than nine or ten. With straight mousy brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles on her tan skin, Frisk couldn’t help but recognize herself. 

She knew she had never been here before. This was her first time even in the foreign country that sat on the surface. But there she was, smiling a wide grin at whoever was taking the picture.

“Sans, what is this? I don’t understand.”

“That’s what I was going to ask you, bucko. I knew you had looked familiar when I first met you back at the gate. When I was looking through some old papers, I found the picture.” 

“I know when I was younger I’d have dreams about fairytale monsters, but even as vivid as they were, I only thought of them as dreams.”

Sans stared at her a moment longer before releasing a sigh. He had hoped that she would remember her past.

Frisk was currently staring at the picture. She felt like she should remember something but her brain had cut off. All the could do was stare at her younger self, wondering how it was possible. A hand touched her shoulder and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“-ear me?”

She looked up in a daze at Sans, confusion littering her face. 

“Must not have. Frisk, I said don’t worry about it. I’m sorry to have bothered you with this.” She found herself shaking her head, disagreeing with what he was saying, though she wasn’t fully comprehending what he had said. He offered her his hand and she just stared at it, not understanding what he wanted. 

I’ve broken her, haven’t I. Sighing again, Sans reached down and took her hand, being careful to not scare her. He pulled her up as she had sank to her knees looking at the picture. Having decided it was doing more harm than good, he pried the picture from out of her hands without allowing it to rip, and put it in his pocket. He was going to keep it close to him in case she tried to find it again. 

She docilely followed him back to the front of the house, where he lead her inside and helped her sit down on the old couch while he crouched down beside her. Sans knew Papyrus had left sometime while they had been out as the house was silent. 

“Hey, kiddo?” Frisk turned to look at Sans, slowly coming out of her trance. “Try to relax, okay? We gotta look at the big picture. You’re here now, you’ve got Toriel and Paps on your side, and I’m gonna look into some things to figure out how you were in two places at once. It may not be a picture perfect plan, but perhaps together we can shed some light and exposure the situation, okay?” He suggested, permanent grin still etched onto his face. 

Frisk let out a chuckle at the awful photography puns and as much as he tried to hide it, she could see relief filter through his body. He was going to help her, though she wasn’t sure with what. He had a cell phone, it was entirely plausible that he had photoshop and had done it to mess with her, but how he was able to accurately copy her child self still left her baffled. But for now, she threw the thought from her mind. She didn’t really think Sans would be so cruel as to mess with her like that. A part of her knew that that wasn’t how he played games. 

He was still watching her, trying to gauge her reaction. He thought he saw a flash of anger take over her eyes, a brief flash of red that ignited a fuse of terror within his SOUL, but she quickly returned to normal, with a soft smile beginning to pull up at the corner of her mouth. He knew that he was probably seeing things, and that it would be best if he didn’t mention it to her just yet. Not after seeing her internal collapse from the picture. It was too soon. 

He stood and playfully rustled the girl’s hair. He liked how it felt between his phalanges, despite how it tangled around the joints, but he wouldn’t ever tell anyone that. Sans quickly walked to the kitchen and fixed her a glass of water. He figured it would help her and it would give him a momentary break to collect his thoughts. 

He hadn’t fully told her the truth with the picture, that she was only familiar. No, he didn’t mention to her that he remembered everything, from when they first met, to her freeing monster-kind, and them falling in love. He didn’t tell her about how she had agreed to marry him years later, and that when she had reached old age, she had passed away in his arms. The pain of her death hadn’t even dulled when he felt the familiar tug of a reset and he was waking up in his bed back in the Underground. He waited for her, praying that she’d one day come back to him. 

Sans had given up eventually. Years passed the point of their initial meeting but she never came. He resigned himself to his memories, yearning for the touch of her hand. He always pictured her in his mind’s eye. His favorite memory by far was of their wedding. She was the only one his eyes could focus on, her hair cascading down the sides of her face, eyes shining full of love and trust as they devoted themselves to one another. The sweet and innocent kiss, unashamed in front of the hundreds of humans and monsters that had gathered for the celebration. 

The peaceful bliss of their wedding night, spent far away in the mountains. Away from civilization, away from the judgmental humans that vowed monsters would never be equal to a human, away from everything but her.

Tears stung the back of his eyes, and he knew that he was still very much in love with her. It had nearly killed him when she didn’t remember him, but he promised himself that he would make her love him again. He just hoped that she would want him one day as much as he wanted her at that very instant. But, until then, he’d be content with protecting her. 

He knew Undyne would kill her the second they met, along with Mettaton, Muffet, and Asgore. Everyone else she’d befriend with ease. She had already done well so far.   
The part that bothered him most, however, was the thought that she was unable to remember her previous resets. That had never happened. She had always remembered, even when Chara had taken over her body, her mind had retained all those terrible memories. But perhaps it was a blessing that she didn’t remember the terrible deeds that her possessed body had wrought among the monsters. Sans supposed that he best not look this gift horse in the mouth. 

Putting on his characteristic smile and wiping away his watery eyes, he grabbed her glass of water and walked to the living room, ready to go along with the façade that he had never known her, that he didn’t know the interests and loves of her heart, and that he had never loved her. Beside the determination of keeping his love’s happiness and protection, he couldn’t help but notice his heart breaking.


	7. Séptimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More mundane life, though now the beginning of the end is upon our dear Frisk.

The rest of the night happened in a blur for Frisk. Papyrus had come over from wherever it was he had gone and then had gathered himself into the kitchen once again.

Frisk asked him to teach her how to make his delicious (dreadful) spaghetti, to which he agreed with great enthusiasm. Oh, how he loved to teach and help people.

As he took out the ingredients he would need to teach her, he noticed that there was a distance in her eyes that hadn’t been there before, though he made no mention of it. She would tell him if she needed to, he believed that with all his SOUL. But until then, he would silently support her. Sans, he noticed, was also behaving unusually for his normal self. He was hovering around Frisk, making sure she was comfortable at all times, trying harder to make her laugh. He had also noticed Sans’ sock was mysteriously gone, and his pet rock cleaned up. Perhaps he should keep the human around if she was able to make his brother not be quite so lazy, for once.

“SO, FRISK, DID MY BROTHER SHOW YOU AROUND SNOWDIN WELL ENOUGH? YOU WILL NOT GET LOST IF YOU VENTURE OUT ALONE NOW?” Papyrus asked his guest.

“Yes, it’s a lovely little town. It would be difficult to get lost now.”

“GOOD! WE WOULD HATE TO LOSE SUCH A KIND HUMAN!”

A smile graced her lips as Papyrus continued. “NOW, TO BEGIN, FIRST WE HAVE TO TURN THE TOMATOES INTO A SAUCE! PUNCH THEM INTO SUBMISSION!”

The rest of the lesson continued in this manner, with the two violently making spaghetti. Frisk had to admit that even though it was inedible, it was definitely more fun to make it Papyrus’ way than the normal way. Sans had even come in to watch. His love and his brother, laughing while they made something that would taste akin to Hell itself, made his heart swell.

Papyrus made a suggestion that it would be even more fun if Undyne was invited, so he called her up, making plans to hang out the very next day though. Frisk was nervous, but she really liked everyone she had met, with the exception of that yellow flower. She nervously hoped that she and Undyne could be friends. Papyrus made her feel like anything was possible. Had she focused on the shorter skeleton, however, she might have noticed the sweat that began to cover his brow. He knew Undyne hated humans more than anyone else in the entire Underground, even more so than King Asgore. He would have to be ready for the danger.

After the trio ate dinner, Papyrus suggested a movie and when no one disagreed, he quickly cleaned his kitchen before running into the livingroom to find one he wanted to watch. He picked out a cooking movie with his favorite actor, Mettaton. Taking a seat at the end of the couch, forcing Frisk in the middle of the brothers, he watched the robot teaching the crowd how to make steaks in the shape of his face until he fell asleep.

Upon realizing that his brother was asleep, Sans used his magic to pick him up and carry him up the stairs before tucking him into bed. He read through Papyrus’ favorite book before shutting the door and walking down to Frisk. She had curled up onto a single cushion of the old couch, sleep claiming her. Chuckling to himself, Sans brushed a boney hand across her cheek. He then reached down and grabbed the blanket, carefully tucking it around her small frame. He sat down in front of the couch, really not wanting to leave her. Would she be upset if he held her? Probably. So instead, he sat before her, admiring her beauty.

After a few minutes, he stood up and teleported back into his room. It was so hard to resist the person with whom he had spent a lifetime, but she wouldn’t reciprocate his feelings just yet. He knew that she moved slow when it came to relationships, almost painfully so. Trying to push her from his mind, he took off his hoodie before crawling into his unmade bed, waiting for sleep to take him.

\------------------------

Frisk was already feeling drowsy when Papyrus had suggested a movie, but she agreed to watch it with the brothers. She was struggling to keep her eyes open when she felt Sans stand up, Papyrus’ weight also leaving the couch though she thought he had been asleep. She was a bit chilly, but she didn’t feel like moving to find her blanket, so she curled up and closed her eyes. She had moved over to a single couch cushion in case Sans came back and wanted to finish his movie.

The television clicked off, silence taking ahold of the room. Then, a quiet laugh and something very sweetly stroking her cheek, nearly making her lean more into the touch. She heard the shorter skeleton sit down near her and she imagined that he was trying to think of something to say. However, he soon just stood up.

Frisk peeked open an eye, expecting to see him standing near her but finding the room empty. She must have been more tired than she thought if she hadn’t heard him shuffle away. Or her tired mind had been playing tricks on her and he had never been there at all. That made more sense to her. He wouldn’t touch a stranger like that, he liked to keep a distance most of the time she had noticed.

Exhaustion soon took over Frisk and she drifted off into her dreams. In her dreams, she was in the home of the Skele-bros, however, a stranger was in their home. It was the dark figure, the one from her first dream, the one that had told her of her death.

She tried to run, to call for help, but her legs refused to move and her voice to make a sound. His skeletal face turned to face her and he approached her. He grabbed her by her shirt, pulling her to him, forcing her to stare into the white pinpricks that made up his eyes. A searing pain echoed through her mind as he spoke.

“ **i warNeD YOu oF YouR DeATh. NoW IT is TiME**.”

A new pain erupted inside of her. She looked down and he had her SOUL in another one of his hands, a syringe stabbed into it, leaking black into her. She tried to get away but struggling was futile. He was too strong, or she too weak. With nothing left in her to fight, she closed her eyes and gave up.

Or, at least, she tried. Instead, determination rocketed through her SOUL, igniting her terror and she managed to get out a scream, a desperate plea for someone to help her. Her vision turned black and when the pain finally subsided, she could see again.

This time, she was still in the living room, but instead of the cruel man in front of her, it was Sans. His hands were on her shoulders, gently shaking her, trying to make her open her eyes and stop screaming.

He had just gone to sleep when a blood-curdling scream had roused him. He quickly had teleported to Frisk’s side. She writhed in her sleep, trying to escape something. As much as he shook her, her eyes would not open. A terror settled deep within his bones as he was unable to wake her until, finally, he did.

Her eyes immediately focused on him and tears sprung from their depths. Sans didn’t wait to ask her for permission. He took her into his arms and held her close, rocking her back and forth until the terror had passed and her tears had stopped. She hadn’t pushed him away, but he let her go, not wanting to press his luck.

“Hey, doll, you wanna talk about it?” He carefully asked. She shook her head, and then asked him a strange question.

“Sans, would you look at my SOUL? Or draw it out so I can see it?” A bonebrow was raised, but he did as she asked, both of them looking over it. Her eyes furrowed in confusion before she pointed at a tiny speck of black that was in the middle of her SOUL. Sans had never known her SOUL to be black, and seeing it made him scared.

Biting back his fear, he told her to go back to sleep. He would be close in case she needed him. Frisk looked like she wanted to argue, but she gave in and closed her eyes. Sans wasn’t entirely sure what had happened to her had been just a dream, so he wasn’t going to risk anything again. She was his and he would protect her. Even if it was against him. Determination clawed against the back of his skull as his eye flashed blue, challenging the suspected threat to try to hurt his love again. 


	8. Octavo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Sans hang out more and she breezes through Snowdin.  
> Also, Frisk likes to cook. For those who don't know, or who have never done it, quite a few people in the Southern US cook with grease as most of us like to use iron skillets. Her cooking with grease implies that she was raised somewhere in that region.

The next day, Frisk opened her eyes and winced as she sat up, a sharp pain shooting through her chest.Looking around, she noticed Sans had fallen asleep, his head on the cushion opposite her, though the rest of him was on the floor. Dark circles were under his eye sockets and Frisk felt bad that she had woken him up the night before. She felt silly that she had cried out like that, especially now since morning had come. 

Carefully standing up as to not wake Sans, she draped her blanket around his shoulders and silently tip-toed into the kitchen. After rummaging around, she found some tea and a kettle. She put the kettle on the stove and waited for the water to boil, searching for a cup in the meantime. It didn’t take her long to find a cup, but she was unable to locate any sugar or milk. 

The kettle began to release steam, a loud high pitch squeal escaping. Frisk poured the water over the tea bag and allowed it to steep. She wanted to make breakfast for Sans, as a way of apologizing for waking him up. Frisk had a feeling that he didn’t get enough sleep and the thought that she had woken him up filled her with guilt. But for now, she placed the tea on the table near Sans.

Frisk had a few coins that Toriel had given her and she vaguely wondered if she had enough to purchase ingredients to make breakfast. She scribbled a note, letting the brothers know that she was going to the store and would be back shortly. Donning her jacket, she quickly slipped outside and shut the door quietly behind her. 

She made good time to the Shop, and was happy to find it open. She walked down the aisles, searching for flour, eggs, butter, and milk. She also looked around for sugar and was happy when she found it. Counting out the total cost, she realized that she had just enough to afford everything. It was a quiet victory. Frisk took her ingredients up to the counter and paid the pretty bunny duende for her items. The rabbit duende gave her a strange look, but said nothing about the new customer. Snowdin was a small town, everyone knew everyone. A stranger was unusual, but she figured her customer had come from the Capitol. 

The morning was beautiful as she stepped outside the shop. The white snow was pristine and gently falling from the top of the cavern. It was peaceful here, and a part of her was wanting her to stay here, though she knew that she couldn’t do that. A chill from the low temperatures slid up her spine and she hurried back to the brother’s house. 

When she walked inside, nothing had changed. The house was quiet, signalling that Papyrus was sleeping and Sans was still in his uncomfortable sleeping position. A smile tugged at her lips, the serene view before her striking a chord within her heart. The view looked familiar somehow and she allowed herself to stare, nostalgia bubbling inside her. 

_ Why do I feel like I’ve seen this before?  _

Frisk carefully walked to the kitchen, trying not to disturb the sleeping skeletons. She loosely measured some flour into a bowl, then added a tablespoon of melted butter and an egg. She then added milk until her batter was the thinness that she liked. Adding butter to her hot pan on the stove, she poured in a bit of the batter, it settling into a nice circle. When the bubbles began to show at the top, she flipped over her creation, a golden pancake halfway done. She hummed quietly to herself as she cooked, though she stopped when she heard the sound of a chair scraping against the floor behind her. 

Looking over her shoulder, she saw a sleepy looking Sans holding his glass of now cool tea curling up into the chair.

“Morning, Sans. I’m making everyone breakfast. Can you tell me how you like your eggs, please?”

“Over-medium,” was all he said, and Frisk giggled at the thought that he was not a morning person. 

“Paps likes scrambled for when you’re ready for his eggs.” 

She thanked him and got out another pan for cooking eggs. Frisk had wished she had had bacon so she could cook in the grease, but she settled for using more butter to grease the pan, and then set the burner to a medium heat. When it was hot enough, she popped two eggs in the pan, careful not to pop the yolks. Sprinkling some salt and some pepper on them, she let them sit, until the whites had completely cooked, and then expertly flipped them, toasting the other side. 

When she could tell they were done, she picked up a plate and put the eggs on it, following along with three fluffy pancakes. Placing it in front of her sleepy host, she turned around and fished out a fork and a napkin, handing them to Sans. 

A door slammed upstairs and Frisk knew Papyrus was awake. She popped in his eggs and scrambled them. By the time he was in the kitchen, his plate was on the table across from Sans. He looked around, quite shocked that someone was using his kitchen before he voiced his appearance. 

“GOOD MORNING FRISK, BROTHER! IT SMELLS WONDERFUL IN HERE! WHAT HAVE YOU MADE, FRISK?”

“Pancakes and eggs, yours are on the table so go ahead and dig in, please.” 

“THANK YOU! I WILL DINE ON YOUR CUISINE!” he shouted as he sat down, eagerly funneling the food into his mouth. Stars shown in his eyes and Frisk was happy to see that he had enjoyed it. He asked for more and she happily obliged, offering him three more pancakes and two more scrambled eggs. They were gone in a matter of moments. Sans was a much slower eater, still working on his first set of pancakes. 

After the brothers looked like they were getting full, she put the rest of the pancakes on her plate and quickly ate them. She had always loved how her pancakes tasted. They were one of the last things that she had of her grandmother and anytime she made them, she always felt love come from within. 

Much to the shock of the group, Sans stood up and began to gather the dirty dishes by the sink and he washed them. Papyrus’ mouth fell open, never having seen his brother take initiative before. He waited for Sans to finish before rushing over to him and giving his older brother a tight hug. Sans just chuckled and waited patiently for Papyrus to put him down. 

With breakfast out of the way, Sans and Frisk walked out of the house. She wanted to go back to the door of the Ruins. But this time, Sans grabbed her hand and asked her to close her eyes. When she did, she felt the ground fall away from her and her breath get sucked from her lungs. Her hair whipped around her and a few moments later, her feet crashed into the ground. 

Frisk laid in the snow, nausea welling up in her stomach. 

_ That felt terrible. I hope we don’t do that more often. _

“Sorry, kiddo, I forgot that shortcuts take a lot out of others if they aren’t prepared. But it’s faster than walking all the way over her.” He offered an apologetic grin which Frisk returned when her stomach settled down. Taking her notebook and pencil, she began to record the plants that she could see. There were white flowers with crystalline stems and there were towering trees that stretched into the darkness of the cavern above. She also found quite a few douglas fir trees, and it surprised her that such a common tree seen around christmas time grew as well as it did in an area untouched by sunlight. But other than these three plants, she didn’t find much else as far as flora was concerned. 

It was just after lunchtime when they had finished and Sans teleported them over to Grillby’s. Frisk was able to handle this trip much better and Sans had smiled down pridefully at her, obviously pleased with her resilience. 

After they ate, Sans had asked her to wait outside for him. She walked outside and kicked at the snow. It was so white here, unlike the muddy mess it became on the surface. It almost looked good enough to eat. But she was full so that thought wasn’t entertained for long. 

_ What is taking him? I hope didn’t get sick...wait, CAN he get sick? I’ll have to ask him later.  _

As she stood and waited, she saw what she assumed was a young duende. It had no arms, but it wore a striped shirt and had a long tail with spikes going up his spine. Frisk found it to be rather cute. 

A cough behind her startled her out of her thoughts. She had only been expecting Sans but was shocked when both he and Grillby stood before her. A questioning look was sent over to Sans, who shot a look at her notebook. Smile overtaking her features, Frisk realized that he had talked Grillby into letting her do a quick scientific interview. 

She measured his height, a shocking 6’4, though he mentioned that the more fuel he had, the taller he could get and vice versa. He just preferred this particular height best. He also mentioned that because he was only made out of fire and magic, he had no weight. Frisk wished she had a way to determine the truth of his words, but there was no way without getting incinerated. He told her about his aversion to water, and that it was hard for him to walk outside of his bar. The snow would melt and dowse the fire that made up his legs. Perhaps the part that interested Frisk most though, was the fact that he could make clones of himself by touching a flammable material and covering it in fire and that as long as he had fuel, he was effectively immortal, a lack of oxygen being the one thing that could completely kill him.

_ Grillby has to be one of the coolest Duende here! Note: don’t get on his bad side. _

Thanking him for his time and cooperation, she couldn’t help but smile. She felt his heat waver a little, almost nervously, before he turned and walked back into his bar. Turning to Sans, she launched herself into his arms, thanking him over and over for talking Grillby into letting her study him. He let out a hearty laugh and patted her on the head before she let go of him. He had figured it was the least he could do to make up for breakfast that morning. He had never thought that he’d eat her cooking again. It had been all he could do not to scarf her food down his throat. Not being sure if he would be allowed to eat her cooking again, he had eaten more slowly than usual, savoring every bite that had been given to him. It had nearly brought tears to his eye sockets. 

He was already planning an attack on the K-9 unit. They owed him for all the times he had kicked their asses at poker. He could flirt with the drunk rabbit in Grillby’s for information, and the others would just be a matter of talking them into allowing it. Most people were friendly and fairly open, so he figured that it wouldn’t take that long for her to get through with Snowdin. He’d estimated a month or a little more until she could get everything and everyone recorded. Not that he minded. Sans enjoyed all the time that she spent with him. 

_ As much as I miss the surface, I wouldn’t mind staying down here with her forever. _

And so that’s how time passed for the couple. Frisk had no more nightmares, though towards the end of her notes and her time in Snowdin, she had began to cough. She tried to assure him that it was nothing, though Sans didn’t believe it. Truth be told, neither did she. She was still apprehensive about the black smudge in her SOUL. She hadn’t told Sans, but the blackness had grown larger since when she had first seen it. Frisk had found that by meditating, she could draw her SOUL out of herself and observe it. Everyday, it got larger and larger, and she felt her determination growing weaker day by day. But it wasn’t her place to worry her hosts, so she smiled and kept going. A terrible sinking feeling in her stomach told her something bad had happened that night, but smile on her face and her determination in her SOUL failing, she stayed cheerful for them.


	9. Noveno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara gets talkative and Frisk has to decide: talk with her and her illness gets easier as Chara gets stronger OR ignore Chara, get more ill, and not relinquish control to her.

Sans never said a word, though every night Frisk fell asleep, he would draw out her SOUL and take account of the size of the black mark upon her. He had a strong guess as to who was causing his love to suffer. When he had vanished all those years ago, Sans had felt relief for the first time in ages. Finally, all those terrible experiments on determination put to rest. But if he was back, then Sans would have to prepare himself for a tough fight. 

It bothered him that that mark had gotten much larger, but it bothered him more that she hadn’t told anyone about it yet. 

_ Why won’t you talk to someone, baby girl? Let us worry about you, please.  _

He could tell the mark was harming her somehow, she was always coughing now, though she never complained. When the fits would start, he’d bring her indoors if she had been researching, wrap her up in a blanket, and then make her some tea. He rarely left her side if he could help it. 

She had gotten more comfortable with his presence the longer she was around him. Sans could tell because she’d often lean against his side when they watched movies together or she’d hold his hand when she felt scared. During the day, he felt her hands on his forearms, or shoulders, as though reminding herself that he was still there; she wasn’t alone. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Frisk had finished documenting the last of her new friends in Snowdin and in the areas surrounding the town. She and Sans still spent a lot of time together, but her restlessness was urging her onwards. Despite her desire to move on, her body was getting weaker and weaker. The black mark had taken over half of her SOUL and she could feel the darkness like a cancer, clawing at the edge of her mind, whispering terrible things to her. 

**_Look at how the skeleton looks at you. He trusts you so much. It would be a shame if I took over and KILLED him._ **

_ Shut up! Leave me alone!  _

**_Where’s the fun in that? I want to see him suffer. I’ve waited so long to make his life HELL again._ **

_ Then you have no problem waiting longer! Just, please, leave us alone. _

**_I can’t. We share a mind. I’m as much as a prisoner to you as you are to me. Your thoughts sicken me. You can’t honestly believe that he LOVES you. He doesn’t even like you, you dirty brother killer._ **

_ What are you talking about? I’ve never killed anyone!  _

**_Oh, but you have. Would you like me to show you the memories that you’ve forgotten? I’d love to watch you squirm with the torment of them. Watch you struggle with the knowledge of how you crushed his brother’s skull, and then how you killed him and you relished his death. You craved it._ **

Frisk shook her head hard, escaping from the lull the words had pulled her into. She zoned out often now, the voice often trapping her within her own mind, tormenting and taunting her, trying to make her snap. At all times, the presence was at the edge of her mind. It scared Frisk. But the voice wasn’t the worst of it, as she soon figured out. The more she spoke to the voice, the faster the black spot grew and the healthier she felt. If she ignored the voice, her body would grow more sick until she could no longer walk. She couldn’t stop it and she felt that something terrible was waiting for her on the horizon. If this kept on, she wasn’t sure what would happen to her.

_ I need to go soon. The voice won’t leave me alone. _

**_Don’t act like you don’t love to hear me._ **

_ Back off, Chara. It’s too late for your crap. _

**_Ouch, brat. Careful with your words, you may make me fall in love with you._ **

_ Let me have some peace and quiet!  _

**_As you wish, Frisk._ **

She focused on the movie that Sans had put in, her head laying on his chest and his arms wrapped around her. Boney as he was, she found that she was quite comfortable. She had told him that she was ready to move on to the next area of the Underground a few days prior, though he had suggested that she get some rest and try to heal up enough so that he wouldn’t worry so much about her if they teleported through the Underground. She had agreed as that had seemed reasonable enough, though she wasn’t sure how much more rest she could take. 

But for now, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. When she began dreaming, she immediately felt fear. She hadn’t dreamed since the duende had injected the darkness into her SOUL  and now she was struggling to wake up. It wasn’t long before he showed himself, tall lanky form slowly sifting through the darkness. This time however, when she opened her mouth to scream, her voice wasn’t the one that came through her vocal chords. This voice was deeper and more cruel. It was the voice from inside her head. 

**_“Hello, love. It has been awhile, has it not?”_ **

**“yES, HOw aRe YoU ENjoYinG YOuR neW bODy, cHArA?”**

**_“It is a bit difficult to control. This girl has a lot of determination. While perfect for my resurrection, she doesn’t want to relinquish control just yet. But her SOUL is almost mine. It won’t be long until sweet little Frisk is dead and I return.”_ **

**“GoOD, THAt iS wHAT i WanTED tO HeAR. sOOn, We wILL bE toGEtHeR AgAIn. I WiLL dEPLoY tHe FlOwEr sHOrTLy tO HeLP SpeEd iT aLoNG.”**

A nod from her head.

**“** **_It seems she’s waking up, Gaster. I’ll see you soon, my love.”_ **

Frisk’s eyes shot open, her breath catching in her throat. Sans was busy wiping a cool cloth across her head. She had started heating up and he couldn’t wake her up, so he had settled for making her comfortable until she was able to open her eyes once again. 

Her eyes had unshed tears in them and Sans hugged her tightly to him. 

“Frisk, please, tell me what happened.” And she did. She didn’t leave a single detail out about what had happened to her, about the growing mark, the malevolent voice that had taken residence in her mind, the conversation between the voice, Chara, and the scary duende, Gaster. At the sound of their names, Sans’ grip had tightened around her more, almost as if the tighter he held her, the safer she was. They both knew it wasn’t true, though. 

It was worse than Sans had imagined. He had known they were both formidable enemies, but the fact that they were working together made everything so much worse. He wasn’t sure he could take on Gaster by himself, but he knew that fighting him and Chara would be impossible. And as strong as the other monsters were, they would be no match against the opponents. 

_ Why does everything have to go wrong for us? _

The only way he would be able to help her was to get her out of the Underground. Maybe Chara would vanish, much like she had the last time they had made it to the surface. How long that would take, he wasn’t sure. She wanted to look at every last living creature and plant in the Underground, but it had taken her just over a month and a half to get all her notes. 

Waterfall was so much bigger than Snowdin, and though it may not have as many inhabitants, it had a plethora of plant life. There was also no way to get through the area without getting soaked, and part of him worried the tepid water wouldn’t help Frisk with her already persistent cough. 

But, despite his constant worrying, he knew that she would get her way. She was so much more powerful than him, in spirit and in determination. He would relent to her desires. When she told him that she needed to leave, he nodded, accepting her choice. He couldn’t keep her here any longer.

She packed away her few belongings and Sans waited by the door, extending his hand when she approached. Frisk took it, and together they walked away from the false safety of the warm house, and the comfort of the town and all its inhabitants. Neither one looked back.

By the time they made it to the edge of the town, a blizzard was blowing. Frisk had gripped Sans’ hand and jacket tighter as he lead the way. He was hesitant to teleport with her in her weakened state, but he had to rush her through the blizzard so she wouldn’t freeze. He then remembered that his magic would act as a thermal blanket, so he enveloped her in a blue aura.

A gasp let him know that she was feeling it and he gripped her hand tighter, glad to be able to do something good for her. She squeezed back, and a smile made its way across Sans’ face. After another thirty minutes of walking, they walked out of the snow. The blizzard almost like a wall as it abruptly stopped at a certain point. They shook the snow off of themselves and Sans allowed the aura around Frisk to fade. 

The air was substantially warmer on this side of the blizzard, it was actually comfortable. Where Snowdin had been frozen, this new place had a feeling of spring. The air was damp and cool, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Some sweet scent wafted across the breeze and immediately made itself known to Frisk. 

Asking Sans about the sweet smell, he led her over to a blue flower. She bent down to smell it, her nose accidentally touching it when a voice spoke out

“Alone again today.” 

Frisk jumped back, not sure who had spoken. Sans just laughed, clutching at his ribs. As he caught his breath, he explained to her that the flower was called an Echo Flower and it would repeat the last thing it heard. 

She touched it again and it repeated Sans’ words.

“It’s called an Echo Flower. It repeats the last thing it hears.” Frisk stared at the flower in amazement before trying herself.

“Hello, flower,” she said. She touched a petal softly and her voice came through the flower, it mimicking her. She smiled up at Sans who was watching her with a curious look in his eyes. Standing up, she poked him on the chin and he snapped out of his daze, a blue blush overtaking him. She flashed him another smile, this one softer and more questioning, a silent question behind her eyes, wondering if he was alright. 

Instead of answering, Sans offered her his hand and she took it. She liked the feel of his phalanges around her hand. They were cool to the touch, but not much cooler than her own hands sometimes were. The smooth feel of his bones also reminded her of home, though she didn’t know why. Frisk trusted those hands. 

**_You shouldn’t and you wouldn’t if you knew how many times they had killed you._ **

_ Chara, what are you talking about? _

**_You would love to know, wouldn’t you? You’ve died by those hands so many times. Your pain is delicious._ **

_ Either tell me the story or shut up and vanish.  _

Silence answered her.

Together, they walked further into Waterfall. Sans would stop and let Frisk take notes as they walked. He explained that it would be easier than them coming back later. He never rushed her as she wrote. If anything, he prompted her to ask questions that she would have never thought of on her own. He challenged her intellect as she challenged his, and realization dawned on Frisk that Sans was the best friend she had ever had in her life. He made her laugh, they had fun together, and they also worked well together. He also understood her even though she rarely explained anything fully to him. He was able to carefully interpret the things she tried and could not say. It was almost like they had known each other all their lives. Frisk prayed to all the gods that she had heard of, and even those that she didn’t know of, pleading that they allowed her to stay friends with the friendly monster for the rest of her life. 

It took a few hours, but they eventually made it to Temmie Village. Frisk’s cough had picked up about half way there and it got to where she was having trouble speaking without bursting into a coughing fit. The fun and excitement with Sans, as well as the humidity of Waterfall, had begun to take its toll on her already weakened self. 

**_If you talked with me, Frisk, I’d make your cough go away. I have the power to do that. Just let me in and let me end it for you._ **

_ I don’t want anything to end and you aren’t coming in any further than you are now! Why can’t you go get a body of your own? _

**_Oh tsk tsk, they don’t MAKE bodies like yours, so full of determination. But if you don’t want it to end, then how about I make it more pleasurable for us?_ **

Frisk had to stop before they could make it inside, a wet cough over taking her body. It was a few minutes before she could move again.

When they walked into the Temmie Shop, she was drenched in sweat. Sans helped her sit on the floor against the wall and talked with the shopkeeper, before walking back and presenting cold water and some snacks in front of her. After she had downed the entire bottle of water and ate three of the snacks, Sans helped her up as the shopkeeper showed them up some steps at the back of the building to a small bedroom. 

Frisk thanked the shopkeeper, a very cute and sweet cat-like duende. The keeper, named Temmie, spoke in excited but garbled English. It was a cute way of talking, almost how a four-year-old would speak. It brought a smile to her face.

After Temmie had left, Sans shut the door and helped Frisk into the bed. She felt bad that he was without a bed, so she moved over and patted the space beside her. Sans sat down on the edge and stroked her cheek. Grabbing his hand, Frisk made him lay down beside her, though he stayed on top of the blankets. Together, they napped, Frisk recovering her strength while Sans slept lightly, an arm around her waist. Wrapped in a warm and protective cocoon of blanket and bone, Frisk felt her determination strengthen and the black mark on her SOUL grew slightly. 


	10. Décimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara attacks. Frisk loses herself to a demon. She remembers everything.

Sans was awoken by the sleeping girl in his arms. She had begun to squirm though he knew she was still sleeping. But that was only part of it, the least disconcerting. What bothered him most was the words that spilled from her mouth. 

“No..please no..stay away!” she whimpered in her sleep.

Her voice dropped an octave when it came again, sending shivers up his spine.

“ **_No way. You’re getting weaker. This body will be mine.”_ **

_ Chara. _

**_“_ ** You can’t take….from me”

“ **_I can and I WILL. Everyone that you meet will die. Especially that smiley trashbag that you love so much. I can’t wait to have my way with him.”_ **

“Leave him alone! I won’t let you kill him.”

“ **_What can a weak girl like you do? If you won’t let me kill him, I’ll hold you back while his FATHER kills him.”_ **

At this point, Frisk’s voice changed further. It was no longer the dark voice of Chara, or the sweet voice of Frisk. No, this voice was darker, more like ice incarnate.

“ **y o u w i l l d o n o s u c h t h i n g. i f y o u t r y t o h u r t S a n s…. o r a n y o f m y f r i e n d s. Y O U. W I L L. B U R N.”**

The new voice brought a whimper out of Chara, and Sans paled in fear over the words that had been spoken.

_ Oh fuck, this is not good.  _

She had never talked so much in her sleep. Chara had to be gaining in strength. 

_ No, I refuse to allow you to take my girl.  _

His grip on her tightening, he wrapped his magic around Frisk, a bright blue aura surrounding her. But then he allowed it to flow into her body and mind. Into her SOUL. His eye sockets closed and when he opened them again, he was in her nightmare. She had been attacked by her doppelgänger, her “body” covered in deep gashes and blood pooling at her feet. Arms outstretched, a red aura had taken over the form of Chara. 

_ My poor Frisk..what is happening to you? Have you really been fighting so hard without anyone noticing? _

Chara had a look of fear on her face. Determination had become a Demon and had possessed Frisk. The red aura was surrounding her, holding her hostage. It was burning Chara, blisters welting up on her form. They continued to grow, and soon, she was unable to hold back her animalistic screams. Flames spurted from her wounds, mouth, and eyes. Chara was used to giving people a living hell, this was the first time she had ever been given it in return. Fear began to override her senses and she knew that she had to get away or risk being destroyed. There was still a species to eliminate, and she wouldn’t be doing herself a favor if she died again. Gaster had brought her back once, he wouldn’t do it again, not unless it was to kill her himself for her being so weak. Chara felt the flames licking at her black SOUL and she used her remaining power to break from the aura and flee into the darkness of Frisk’s mind. 

The Demon of Determination, not satisfied its prey had gotten away, began to shuffle forwards in Frisk’s broken psyche-body. Sans wasn’t sure what to do, but he couldn’t let this continue. As much as he wanted Chara dead, it wouldn’t be right if Frisk did it. She was his gentle love, warm and full of grace for others; she was not a killer. 

He cleared his throat, before calling out to her.

“Frisk? It’s me, please, let’s get you out of her, okay?”

She turned to him, recognition flashing in her eyes. Sans quietly celebrated that she knew him, but it didn’t last long. As she began to shuffle towards him, the light that had briefly lit up her face faded into rage. 

_ Oh, fuck me. _

“ **y o u c a n n o t t r i c k m e, C h a r a. i k n o w t h a t i s y o u. i w i l l d e s t r o y     y o u b e f o r e y o u d e s t r o y e v e r y o n e i c a r e a b o u t.”** Red light flashed in her eyes as she sent an attack of red magic at Sans. He quickly dodged, narrowly missing her attack. 

“Frisk! It’s me! I promise you! I won’t hurt you!”

His words made no impact as another attack barely missed him. Sans held his hands out towards her, a gesture of surrender. The Demon’s eyes flickered, the red flashing back to a soft brown as Frisk tried to gain control. Chara would have swung back at her by now. She was too impatient to get attacked without sending an attack of her own. Taking a deep breath, Frisk banished the red eyes and fell forwards. Her tired body couldn’t even prepare to catch herself.

Sans caught her, gently laying her down. 

“There there, my girl. You’re safe for now. I’ve got you.” Frisk closed her eyes and relaxed her battered psyche in Sans’ arms. 

“I-I’m s-s-sorry, S-s-ans. I c-c-ouldn’t-t-t help i-it.” Tears flowed from her eyes as she begged for forgiveness from someone who had only ever cared about her. Sans pressed his teeth to her forehead and rocked her back and forth. 

“I could never be angry with you, Frisk. I’m happy you’re back now.” As he spoke, he allowed him magic to envelop them both, healing the damage Chara had wrought in Frisk’s mind while at the same time reassuring Frisk of his love for her. He hadn’t told her, but he let her feel the extent of his adoration for her through his magic. 

She hugged him suddenly, as tight as she could, shocking Sans. He wasted no time in hugging her back though. They stayed that way for a long while, neither one wanting to break from the blue cocoon that housed them. Sans knew that it was getting time for them to wake up, and he slowly let her go. 

“Frisk, it’s time to wake up, okay? I gotta leave your mind before you do or else I’ll kinda be stuck here, okay? I’ll wake you up when I’m out.” 

She nodded, and smiled at him. He left his blue magic in her mind, still holding her that way. Eye sockets closing, magic slowly being cut off, and sockets opening left him staring at Frisk’s sleeping form. She was tucked tight against his ribs, a small smile on her tear-streaked face. 

He gently shook her, rousing her from her sleep. Frisk looked deep into his eyes, and he could tell that she remembered everything. He smiled back at her and held her close, happy that she was out of that terrible place. The Demon he had seen had scared him shitless. He could only imagine how it had felt to Frisk. He didn’t want her to ever get back to that place of despair and terror. 

Curiosity blossomed in his skull as a thought crossed his mind. 

“Frisk, I want to look at your SOUL, okay?” 

“Okay,” she croaked in her sleep-crusted voice. 

Drawing it out with his magic, Sans studied it carefully. The darkness that was Chara had shrunk from holding half of Frisk’s SOUL to holding only around a tenth of it, but in it’s place, a deep red color spiderwebbed through the rest of the normally bright red SOUL. Sans figured that that was most likely the Demon of Determination, its hold on Frisk still very strong. 

He knew that SOULS could fight for control of a body, but he had never heard of a demon getting involved with a battle. Typically, it was a fight between two SOULS. Each SOUL composed of light and dark. Two sides of a single coin. However, for Frisk, her SOUL had split. Darkness and Light both existing separately of each other. Typically, her Light was what she showed. Frisk was a genuinely kind person, but after being attacked as ferociously as she had been, her Darkness had taken over, using her determination as a weapon against the warring SOUL. As far as he knew, that had never happened before. 

“Sans..?” A hesitant voice brought him back from his thoughts. 

“Yes, kiddo?”

“Where you going to ever tell me of our past?”

The question froze Sans. His mind struggled to find a decent answer, but he couldn’t think of how to say anything without hurting her. With a frustrated sigh, he scraped a hand across his boney skull. 

“I don’t know,” he began, though when he saw her expression, he quickly tried to explain himself. 

“Let me start at the beginning of when we met at this timeline, okay, love?”

Frisk nodded and waiting, needing to know the truth of why he had hid everything from her. She was angry, but he had saved her, and she really didn’t want to be angry at Sans.

“Normally, when we met after the first meeting, you would remember me. You couldn’t hide it very well. Nor did I really want you to. After enough resets, we would skip the pleasantries and automatically become best friends again. I guess you enjoyed the feeling of saving everyone, or you never really wanted to leave this place behind. 

“This time, however, you didn’t remember me. You didn’t remember the timelines where Chara had taken over and had killed everyone and you didn’t remember the timelines where you had saved everyone. You didn’t remember the neutral timelines or our last timeline, the one where I married you and watched as you passed away from age. Because you didn’t remember the love we had shared, I felt like it wasn’t right for me to force those feelings on you. If you wanted to fall in love with someone else in this timeline, it wasn’t my place to stop you. I would have supported you and made you as happy as I could have from whatever position in your life you had given me. 

“What right did I have to force you to be the same as you were, when everything about you and your desires could have changed since then? I thought you would have been happy, free from the past to make your choices for your future. I am so sorry for the lie I told you about the picture and I’m so sorry for hiding everything from you. I really just wanted you to be happy and free.”

Frisk sat quietly throughout his explanation and his apology. After he had finished, she thought over his words, deliberating over her choice of words. She couldn’t find an eloquent way to express her feelings. Hurt over the lie and the hidden truth, sadness over her forgotten memories, but even stronger, love for the skeleton before her eyes. He hadn’t known what to do and was trying his best. Hells bells, had she been in his position, she wouldn’t have known what to do, either. 

_ Why did she have to make me remember? I don’t want to blame him. He deserved to kill me for all the things I did.  _

Unsure how to tell him all her feelings, she did the next best thing she could think of: she kissed him gently on his teeth. 

At first, Sans was shocked. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t this. As his mind recovered though, he sent his magic through her lips, mimicking a kiss but making it slightly electric. Frisk seemed to enjoy it as she kissed him more passionately before she began asking permission to enter his mouth with her tongue. 

Opening his teeth for her, his tongue materializing in his mouth, he kissed her deeply. His head was beginning to swim with thoughts of her. Her on top of him. Her bent over his bed. Her naked folds welcoming him...the taste of her skin, and the feel of her body, and the teasing lilt of her mind. Thoughts of her humor, her personality, and her love all mixed with thoughts of her sexuality. He loved her more than anything and he was going to prove it to her every single day they had together.

_ God, I want you so bad, Frisk. I’ve waited so long... _

He hadn’t fully realized that he had gently laid her down and was leaning over her, his patella beginning to separate her legs. Sans pulled back, their breaths intermingling in the space between them. 

_ No, not yet. Not here. _

She had changed, was not the same person he had married, not entirely, and he would wait until she was ready. As much as he craved her, he didn’t want to make her feel pressured into it. 

Sans backed off of her, giving her a chance to sit up, though his hand never left hers. He shot a smile her way, a blue blush taking over him and a pink one taking over her. God, he loved her. And now he was confident that she loved him back. After everything, she still chose him. Sans vowed to never make her regret her choice, and he felt the now familiar tingle of his own determination etch the promise into his SOUL.


	11. Decimo Primero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Sans meet Undyne.  
> Gaster punishes Chara for her weakness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, in this chapter, things get a bit rough for Chara. If you don't want to read it, then read until you reach the dotted line. Everything else before then is safe, I promise. At the very end of the chapter, I have a very brief summary of what happens.

After a few minutes of gathering their breath, they walked out of the room and descended the stairs. Temmie was at the front of the store so they thanked her for allowing them to rest before going on their travels. Frisk was about to pull out her notebook when Sans stopped her.

She raised an eyebrow in question, though he didn’t answer her right away. He finished saying his goodbyes to Temmie before walking out of the building. 

“I know you wanted to ask her some questions, however, her answers wouldn’t have been easy to translate. She only speaks in lol-speak. Luckily for you, I think I may know enough about the Tems to answer any questions that you may have,” he said with his signature grin. 

Frisk drilled him with the questions that she could think of, and she was content to know that Sans did seem to know a lot about them. When she asked how he knew all about them, he just responded that he used to hang out there a lot before Papyrus had been created. 

_ I miss Papyrus. I hope he’s doing well. Maybe I’ll ask Sans later if I can call him. _

They walked further into Waterfall, Frisk recording and drawing the glowing mushrooms, the black grass that they walked on, the tall grass that was fun to hide in, and the unusual bridge seeds. Eventually, they came upon three houses, one shaped like a fish head, the others like bended tubes. They would have walked right past if there hadn’t been a familiar ghost near one of the houses. 

Smile overtaking her, Frisk ran towards her friend while Sans watched with confusion. 

_ When did sh- oh! _

Once he recognized the ghost, he relaxed. He knew she met him in the Ruins on every reset. She often considered him as her first friend. 

Napstablook gave Frisk a watery smile as he saw his friend. It had been awhile since they had last seen each other. Sans stayed where he was, not wanting to interrupt the friends. His Frisk had a bright smile on her face and was chatting animatedly with the quiet spectre. Napstablook then handed over his headphones, eager for Frisk’s opinion on his song. She praised him for how well he had done which caused a blush to grace his nonexistent cheeks. After talking a bit more about his music, Frisk changed subjects and asked him about Toriel and how she was doing. He reassured her that she missed Frisk but would be pleased to know she had gotten so far. He promised that he would let her know the next time he was in the Ruins. 

Frisk thanked him and then the two said their goodbyes, Napstablook floating through his door and Frisk running over to Sans. He took her hand and they continued on their way.

They had only gone a little ways when Frisk remembered a question that she had thought of for Sans.

“Oh, by the way, I thought you said you could only use two kinds of magic, Sans? How can you use all three?”

“Heh, you caught me, babygirl.” Frisk blushed at his nickname and Sans had a quiet victory before continuing, “yeah, about that. I didn’t want it to seem like I was bragging so I may or may not have left out that I can do all three types.” A boney hand scratched at his skull. Sans suddenly looked extremely bashful and Frisk realized that he was telling her the truth. 

“I remembered that you had a hard time tolerating bragging bags of bones, and I couldn’t figure out how to tell you without making it seem like I was trying to puff myself up a bit.” 

She mulled over his words before deciding that it was alright that he had kept it a secret from her. She might have been more intimidated of him had he told her his magic ability was on par with that of the king. Besides, it had come in handy when she had needed his help most.

They walked in silence until they came across what looked like a maze of docks. Standing before them was a tall duende in a suit of armor, a blue spear quickly coming into being as she spotted the two of them.

A powerful feminine voice spoke up from beneath the helmet. 

“Human, I have learned of your presence. Release your hostage and prepare to fight me.”

Frisk would know that voice anywhere, thanks to Chara releasing the dam that had held her memories.

_ Undyne! _

She smiled brightly before she listened to Sans’ voice, realizing that Undyne didn’t know her anymore.

“Undyne, I’m not a hostage! This human is a good person.” Sans stepped in front of Frisk, hands in his hoodie pockets and completely relaxed in posture, grin wide as he stared down the Captain of the Royal Guard. He was mentally preparing himself for a short battle. 

“If what you say is true, Sans, then back away! She must be captured and her SOUL taken to Asgore! With her SOUL as our last, we can finally break the barrier! Human, stop hiding and FIGHT ME!”

A spear shot forwards and landed at Sans’ feet. He rolled a lazy eye over it before picking it up and handing it to Frisk. 

“If one of her attacks gets past me, use that to deflect it. Do you think you can do that?” Frisk nodded at him, concern etching over her face, though in her heart, she looked forwards to the challenge. 

“Please, be careful, Sans,” she told him. 

His smile grew wider before he stepped closer to Undyne. 

“I will fight you in place of the human. Are you sure you want to get dunked on?”

Suddenly, spears erupted from the floor under him. Frisk closed her eyes, fearing Sans had been injured. But when she looked, again, he was on the other side of Undyne, not a scratch on him. She mentally chastised herself. This was Sans, even Chara had been defeated by him hundreds of times.

Undyne spun around, another attack aimed at him. Sans sidestepped it easily enough, but noted that Undyne wasn’t holding anything back despite knowing that he only had 1 HP. His eye sockets narrowed, but he kept dodging her attacks. 

The more she missed, the more frustrated she got, the more reckless and wild her attacks grew. Sans knew that she was nowhere near tired and if she even hit him once, he’d turn to dust. He wrapped her in a blue aura, and threw her into the opposite wall. He made sure not to lower her health too much, just enough to make her pass out so she couldn’t follow them for awhile. 

“Fuck you, Sans.” Undyne cursed him before she relinquished her mind and body to her pain. He turned around and searched for Frisk with his eyes. She was against a wall, and when his eyes found her, she slowly took a step forward. Sans shot a grin her way before picking Undyne up with his magic. 

“Let’s go back a bit. Gotta get her home. We’ll take her there and then I’ll bandage her up.” Frisk walked over to Sans and nodded. 

“Hold her tightly, we’re taking a shortcut.”

Frisk let Undyne’s unconscious form lean against her while she wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist. Sans put his hands on both of their shoulders before taking them into the tear. When they stepped out, Frisk stumbled under the force of the landing as well as the weight of the armored woman. Sans caught them both and took Undyne off of Frisk with his magic. 

Without the fear of being crushed, Frisk looked around. They were in the warrior’s home and Frisk’s mind replayed the memories of their cooking session, somehow even more violent than the one Papyrus had given her in this timeline. So violent that her house had burned down more times than Frisk could count. 

Sans laid Undyne down on a small couch before tugging off various pieces of metal the Undyne seemed to adore wearing. 

After he had made her comfortable, he rummaged through her drawers until he found her bandages. He was about to start to bandage her bruises before Frisk stopped him by taking the wrappings from him. She then wrapped up the worst of the damage before sitting back and taking a good look at the woman. She was very tall, with lovely teal scale-covered skin and shocking red hair. She wore an eyepatch, and had sharp fangs that slipped from behind her lips. 

Undyne was extremely toned and Frisk knew she was immensely powerful. She was happy that she hadn’t fought Undyne, though she knew that was the fastest way to win the respect and friendship of the woman.

**_What makes you think she’d want to be friends with you? Just because you were friends in a different time doesn’t mean that she won’t kill you as soon as she gets the chance, now._ **

_ If I fight her, she’ll be my friend. If I fight her, you’ll take over and that’ll be the end of me. I know your game, Chara.  _

**_Well, aren’t we a smart cookie? I’d love to keep you here so you’re forced to fight when she wakes up. But your guard dog awaits. I’ll be visiting you shortly, Frisk._ **

With that, Chara grew quiet.

Sans was waiting by the door, watching Undyne for movement. He didn’t want her waking up and attacking Frisk when he was distracted. As soon as Frisk was finished, he practically dragged her from the house before locking the door behind them. He knew Undyne would be fine now. 

He shortcutted them past the rest of Waterfall and into the borders of Hotland. The heat shocked Frisk, though Sans didn’t seem to notice the sudden change in temperature. She supposed it would be hard to feel the change if one didn’t have skin.

Sans took a deep breath, and walked East, his destination one he hated, Frisk following behind him, a feeling of being watched carving itself into her spine.

  
  
  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  
  
  


Deep in Frisk’s mind, a tortured SOUL was recovering. Chara, her spiritual form burned beyond recognition. She had locked herself away into a deep and dark part of Frisk’s mind, only coming out to torment her host. She would never be found except by the one she waited for. While they walked in the outside world, Chara had sent a signal to her love. His presence was quickly approaching. She felt Frisk’s body tense, fear of Gaster reaching her gut. But Frisk wouldn’t be able to see him right now, and Gaster was unable to hurt her while she was outside her mind. 

He drifted through her psyche, his form wavering and glitching as he floated. His form was made of shadows, shadows so deep that light could not exist. They floated around him and off him, wisps of velvety darkness. The shadows clung to everything that he passed. 

Gaster came to a stop before the burnt husk of his puppet. She had tried, and failed to take over the worthless SOUL that lived near her own. His anger was thick, and rolled off his body in waves, crashing into Chara. How dare she waste the power he had lent her. But now was not the time to punish her with death like he oh so desperately desired. No, now was the time to destroy her.

He reached his hand down and gripped her by the throat, forcing her down on the floor of the mind. Her charred skin was blistered, which popped from his rough treatment, the watery liquid making his hands slick. Fear blossomed in her stomach.

“ **yOu hAVe FAilEd mE, cHArA. YOu HAvE WASteD MY pOWeR. NoW iS tIME fOr yOUR PUniSHmENT** .”

He slowly, precisely, reached his free hand down and placed it on her chest, between her small breasts. His fingers began to dig into her flesh, breaking the already damaged skin, eliciting a delicious scream from her lungs.

Chara’s thoughts were awash with agony.

**_No no no no no nononononononono!_ **

But he wasn’t going to stop there. That would be too easy for her. He dug further in, damaging muscle as the darkness fell into her, dissolving the slick blood that was trying to make it harder for him to rip her open. His bone hand scraped against her breastbone, Chara screaming and bucking beneath him, desperately craving her escape. 

**_PLEASE, STOP!_ **

The frantic look in her eyes, the loud guttural cries, the shlick of his hand inside her body only heightened his sense of pleasure. He slowly, excruciatingly scratched against her bones, his shadows creating dark divots, deep channels in the calcium and marrow. 

He felt his face contort into a wide, terrifying smile, the purple lights behind his eyes sparking from his excitement as his hand finally broke her sternum. Pushing the shards of sharp bone aside, he slipped his hand in further. He felt her heart beating against his hand, her lungs moving rapidly against him as panic overrode all her senses with the exception of pain. But he ignored them. He wasn’t going to kill her yet, after all. He was just going to make sure suffer torture beyond her wildest dreams. 

He took hold of the bronchial tube that ran down behind her heart and began to squeeze. Chara couldn’t feel the pain, but she was choking, she couldn’t breathe. She tried to suck in the oxygen from the pitch black Hell that she resided in, but no air would come to her lungs. As she began to fall under, Gaster let go, allowing her to come back. Before she could catch her breath, however, he squeezed again. He kept her mind swimming in the dark twilight of consciousness and unconsciousness, allowing her only a breath or two of air at a time. 

Her thoughts had long since stopped making sense. All she was aware of was pain.

**_Pain._ **

**_Fire._ **

**_Agony._ **

**_Eternal._ **

**_Air._ **

**_Choking._ **

**_Dying._ **

**_Fading._ **

With his other hand, now off her neck, he began to dig into her shoulder, his fingertips like dull blades. They ripped her skin rather than cut it, and forced muscle and tendon out of place before they, too, tore from the stress. The feeling of her body, the one he gave her, being torn to shreds by him filled Gaster with a deep sense of ecstasy. 

Her eyes had closed, and that angered him. He pulled his hand roughly from her chest and waved it over her eyes, magic forcing them open. A screen of fog materialized behind him, and he let his eyes record his actions, his mind projecting the spectacle he was making of her behind him. She would watch her destruction. 

**_No more, Gaster, please, my love._ **

His hand hovered above her chest, wanting to slip it back in and resume the fun it had been having, but he knew he could have even more fun. His hand slipped lower on her, until it rested above her navel. His slender middle finger slid inside the birth scarring, before he twisted it hard and fast, his sharp phalange easily breaking the old mark. 

She could see what he was doing, she could see and feel him inside her body. One hand breaking the bone in her shoulder and the other drilling into her stomach. She screamed, her throat raw from the pain. Her body was pinned by his hands, the more she struggled, the more her body protested, and the wider Gaster’s perverted smile grew. His magic forcing her mind awake the entire time, she couldn’t even hope that the darkness of her mind would take her. She could only pray for death, but even if her wish was granted, Gaster would bring her back to torture her some more. 

He ripped apart her body for hours, and when he had nothing left to play with, he restored her to her original, perfect condition. His torn grimace a mere inches from hers, he slid his purple and black covered tongue between her lips. 

“ **dO NOt FaiL mE, AGaiN, mY BeAUtiFUL pET. iF YoU Do, ConSIDeR tHiS ENcoUNtEr aS A fiNAl wARniNG.”** His dark tendrils gently stroked Chara’s face, as his own stark white face vanished from her sight. 

As much as he had punished her, he had restored her strength above what he had the first time he had brought her back from death. Chara was not a fan of punishment, and this time, she would not fail. 

**_I’m going to destroy you, little girl. Here I come. Feel my determination as it wipes you from existence!_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is the gist of Chara and Gaster's part: Chara, injured, calls on Gaster to help her recover more. He doesn't want her to waste his power so frivolously and he punishes her. When done, he heals her to be stronger than she was, and she readies herself for another attack.


	12. Doceavo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escalation, things are about to get hairy, folks.

Something was extremely wrong. They had just made it to Hotland and had barely walked more than a dozen steps before Frisk collapsed. Sans almost missed her as she fell as she had been behind him. Screams and whimpers burst forth from her lips, before she sputtered into coughs and blood coated her lips. 

_ Oh no, what’s happening? Frisk! _

_ “ _ Don’t you dare leave me, girl! We’ll get you back to normal soon!” He yelled.

Sans wasn’t sure what else to do, so he drew out her SOUL as he cloaked her in his blue aura. The black mark had grown again, like a cancer. Its dark aura rolled from the small SOUL. He watched as the black swallowed the red of her determination, the blood red spider veins of the Demon glowing brightly through the darkness. 

Frisk’s eyes shot open, and three different colors flickered. Her beautiful brown, bright red ones, and bloodshot eyes with black irises. The SOULs were in a battle of control. Fear overtook his senses as he realized that he had no time to waste. If he didn’t ask now, his girl would be gone forever. Sans put her SOUL back within her and used his magic to restrain her body as he rushed her to the Lab. 

The building was towering before them, and he rushed through the doors, not giving Alphys a chance of a warning. He quickly found a bed with restraints and he wrapped the cuffs around her wrists and feet. The straps around her chest, head, and hips were fastened as tight as they could be. Her screams echoed off the walls.

At this time, Alphys ran into the room, scared at what the possible noise could be. She hadn’t expected them to get to her Lab quite this soon, as she had watched the battle with Undyne from one of her hidden cameras only a few minutes ago. 

“ALPHYS! Get the headband monitor! We need to see what’s happening in her SOUL!” Sans’ normally lazy voice boomed. She whimpered and ran off in a trot. Alphys was back in a matter of moments with a headband and some electrodes. 

_ How did they get here so fast? They were fine at Undyne’s only minutes ago! What’s happening to her? _

Sans snatched them from her and put them on his girl. Alphys turned on the big screen on the wall and made sure all the wires were in the correct ports. She changed the frequency until she got a picture of what was happening. 

Sans and Alphys could see a battle between Chara and the Demon of Determination taking place. With no time to waste, Sans grabbed different gadgets in order to read Frisk’s vital signs. Her heart beat was racing, her temperature was way up, her blood pressure dangerously high. 

_ How is she even alive at this point?  _ The thought floated across Sans’s mind as a different though flew through Alphys.

_ She’s no longer there. The Demon and the foreign SOUL are the only things inside her body. _

Turning back to the fight on the screen, the Demon looked to be in worse shape than it had last time. Chara didn’t have a single scratch on her body. A sinking feeling in his nonexistent gut barreled into Sans like a truck. He watched as Chara lunged at the Demon, her knife slicing into the arm of his possessed love. Panic overrode his senses as Frisk’s body began to contort and morph into something not her. Her skin darkened, muscles thickening and defining themselves. She grew in height, her one perfect straight teeth becoming jagged fangs, and the tips of her fingers sharpening into deadly claws. Fire erupted from her body as she fell forwards on all fours. Frisk was no longer the girl he knew; her mind and body possessed and warped by her determination. 

Chara never blinked an eye. Instead, she lunged forwards and cut at the Demon’s form with a knife. It let out an angry bellow, no longer being cut by the blade, and slapped Chara. Her body flew back and she hit the wall of the mental room, body crumpling into itself before she’d rise to her feet and her injuries magically healing themselves in a purple light. 

Sans knew that light. In an instant, he delved into Frisk’s mind and into the fray. He stood next to the Demon, a good distance away.

**_“Oh, Trashbag, how good it is to see you.”_ ** Chara crooned. “ **_I was wondering when you’d get here. Someone has been missing you for so long._ ** ” Her voice came out in a sticky purr.

Out of shadows stepped the monster of his night terrors. Tall and lanky, darkness incarnate, Gaster appeared. His stark white face a sharp contrast to the dark that they were in. 

“ **HEllO, sON. iT HaS bEEn QuiTE sOmE TIMe siNcE YoU ThREw mE InTO tHE CoRE. wERe yOU HoPINg tHAt i WOulD NeVEr CoME bACk?** ”

Sans had no answer. Instead, he wasted no time in summoning a barrage of bones and blasters at the two creatures he loathed most in existence. Chara allowed the attack to hit her, though they did no damage. Gaster had let them phase through his body, unperturbed at the attack. 

_ Fuck, this wasn’t going to be easy. _

Wrapping Chara in blue, he held her in front of the Demon, who engulfed her body in flames as it ripped Chara from Sans’ control. Sans then turned his attention to Gaster. 

His father was staring at him, a cruel grin taking over his face. He had missed how ruthless his son could be when he wanted to, unlike that pathetic second attempt at a son he had created. That failure was too weak. Sans had been too weak, but hatred for Gaster had turned him strong. Oh how delicious that puppet could be, would be. 

More attacks from Sans, bones and Gaster Blasters appearing on every side of his opponent. He was relentless in his offense. Gaster would be dust tonight if it was the last thing he would ever do. Sans jumped through his shortcuts, sending a tidal wave of attacks from angle. Gaster never moved, and took the brunt of the attacks, resulting in a cloud of dust. 

_ Did I get him?  _

When it cleared, Gaster was no longer there. Sans was hesitant to think that it had been that easy of a victory when a skeletal hand reached from the darkness behind him and used magic to shoot Sans forwards into the dark wall. He hit hard, with a sickening thud. His body fell to the floor, but that wasn’t enough. Purple magic coated Sans again and threw him, bouncing him off the floor, the walls, and the ceiling of the dark room.

Splinters of bone fell from the short skeleton, and his eye flashed bright cyan and yellow in rage. His magic found Gaster’s body and enveloped it. He squeezed his fist shut, the magic responding by crushing Gaster. But his body turned into shadow and slipped through the invisible chinks in Sans’ light. 

Chara was still in the grip of the Demon, her body being torn to shreds. Blood dripped down where her arm had been only a few minutes before. The Demon had broken the bone and had swung her into the ground so hard that the skin and muscle had torn from the serrated bone inside. It was obvious that Chara’s spine had been broken, but with the help of Gaster’s magic, she quickly returned to new. 

This had only angered the Demon even more.

**_Come and get me. You are mine to rule, you are my determination!_ **

Chara taunted the entity, even when her body was ravaged by pain of the beating she was getting. Gaster had made her able to heal quickly, though he hadn’t thought to block her agony. Or he did and chose not to. 

She relaxed as her body was shredded by the beast’s fangs and claws over and over. She laughed as chunks of flesh and meat were devoured, and she didn’t bat an eye as the determination crushed her into oblivion. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Undyne woke up, her cell phone vibrating quickly on the table beside her. 

_ Why am I so sore? And who is calling me at this hour? _

She vaguely remembered Sans and the human, kicking her ass. And flashes of both of them helping her home and bandaging her up surfaced in her mind.

When she answered the phone and brought it to the fin was in place of her ear, she immediately recognized Alphys’ voice on the other end. There was a franticness that made her blood boil and freeze at the same time. 

“I’ll be over at the Lab shortly, babe. Give me a few minutes!”

Stepping into her armor, she ran out her front door, a malevolent feeling setting into the pit of her stomach. 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

His brother and the human had left a few days ago and he was feeling a bit lonely. He made pasta and had called Undyne a few times, but she had stopped answering his calls sometime around midday that day. 

His phone rang as he looked dejectedly at it.

_ SANS OR UNDYNE, I HOPE! I MISS THEM!  _

He opened his phone when a usually timid voice reached him.

_ Alphys? She never calls me. _

“Papyrus, we need you down here at the Lab! Something has gone wrong! Bring anyone you can find! We’re going to need all the help we can get!” Alphys had told him. 

_ I WILL GET GRILLBY! HE IS ALMOST AS STRONG AS SANS! HE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP! _

He ran down to the bar, and told the flame duende about what Alphys had told him. His normally composed self dropped the glass he had been polishing and he ran out of the building after the skeleton. 

Neither of the duende could help the darkness settling into the back of their minds. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Undyne made it to the Lab first, but it wasn’t long until Papyrus and Grillby also showed up. Alphys had already gathered some of the stronger monsters in the Lab, mostly the Royal Guard, but also Muffet, Mettaton, and Napstablook. She didn’t have to explain much, she pointed at the screen showing the battle happening inside the human.

Everyone had a different reacting, though it was mostly fear for Frisk. As morphed as she was, they recognized her. The few who had not yet met her were filled with disgust, but they realized that if the two that the demon and their fellow monster fought won, life would cease for them all. 

When her voice spoke up, gone was her usual timid tone, and in its place, a firmness that could have silenced Undyne.

“This human girl, Frisk, has made her way through the Underground, her SOUL battling an evil that none of us could see! She and Sans are fighting to protect not only herself, but all of monster kind! If Gaster and Chara take over her body, there will be nothing we can do to save ourselves! We have to fight, too! If you won’t fight to protect her, the kind human that wants nothing more than to be friends with everyone, then fight to protect yourselves and your king! I need you all to focus your magic around her body and delve into her mind!” Alphys commanded. 

Most of the monsters wanted to help the kind girl they had met, and the others wanted to protect Asgore. With a war cry, they focused on sinking into Frisk’s psyche. Undyne was impressed by Alphys as she lead the entire Royal Guard into the human’s mind first. There would be hell to pay if she had her way with the enemies. 

Alphys watched as they began to appear on the screen in front of her, entering the battlefield. 

_ I hope this will be enough. _

For the first time in her life, Alphys’ body shook with the unreleased adrenaline and determination. 


	13. Decimotercera

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter from Frisk's perception to what's going on with her in Hotland

Sans had just teleported them into Hotland. Frisk felt a burning inside of her heart, and she knew that it had nothing to do with the hot temperature of her new surroundings.

_ What’s happening to me? Chara, what are yo-?! _

Frisk was unable to get the full thought out of her mind when Chara struck her SOUL, pulling Frisk into the depths of her mind. Darkness clouded her vision for a moment, before clearing and leaving on Chara to be seen. Her previous injuries had vanished, and she stood taller, almost as though she knew that Frisk could do nothing to stand up to her. 

**_“Welcome back, Frisky. I had to admit, you surprised me last time. I hadn’t expected your SOUL to have a mind of its own. Though...YOU WON’T SURPRISE ME AGAIN.”_ **

Chara lunged at Frisk, knife drawn and red eyes blazing. Frisk barely was able to dodge the attack, but she made it in time and avoided the sharp blade. Turning, she almost didn’t see Chara’s second attack in time. She couldn’t quite get out of the way fast enough, the knife striking her forearm.

_ This isn’t good. She’s too fast. I can’t see her! Where is she? _

Frisk had lost sight of Chara, her mind distracted by the sharp pain in her arm. Footsteps on her left, and she dropped down, letting Chara and her knife dive over her head. 

Chara rolled to her feet, and wasted no time in charging at Frisk again. She was too slow, again, and a new wound opened up on her thigh. Frisk sucked in a breath, but this time kept her eyes firmly trained on Chara.

_ I have nothing to fight back with..I can’t win this. I’m going to die here.  _

**_“You’re doing well, Frisky. You’re faster this time, but don’t think for a moment that speed will save you!”_ **

She attacked.

**_“I-”_ **

Another deadly swipe.

**_“Will-”_ **

Followed by another.

**_“Have-”_ **

This one hit home.

**_“YOU.”_ **

Frisk screamed in pain as Chara sunk the blade into her shoulder. It scraped against smooth bone and nerve. If possible, it hurt more when Chara ripped it out of the hole. Blood flowed thick down her arm.

_ She’s going to kill me...I can’t win...it hurts so bad..just make it stop, please.. _

Her body was on autopilot, rolling away from Chara anytime the other SOUL got too close to her. Her mind was engulfed in fire and only thoughts of death were making any sense to her. 

Chara kept getting hit after hit in on Frisk, and every hit made her slower than before. 

_ I’m too weak. I’m so sorry, Sans. I can’t keep this up.  _

**L E T M E T A K E O V E R. I W I L L D E S T R O Y H E R F O R Y O U. L E T T H E D A R K N E S S W I T H I N Y O U D A R K E N F U R T H E R, L E T Y O U R** **_D E T E R M I N A T I O N_ ** **G U I D E Y O U R M O V E M E N T S. Y O U W A N T T O S E E Y O U R B E L O V E D S K E L E T O N A G A I N, D O N ’T Y O U?**

_ I-I….I want to see Sans again, and Papyrus, and Undyne, and Aunt Tori. I want to meet Alphys, and Asgore, and Mettaton in this timeline. Please, help me…. _

**V E R Y W E L L.**

Frisk felt a shift take place inside her SOUL, and then she was watching what happened before her like she was watching television. She was no longer in control of her body, but she watched as she was able to dodge and even strike back at Chara. Detached, Frisk saw the wounds on Chara heal before her eyes, and felt only the rage boiling from the other half of her SOUL. 

The attacks came and went even faster than they had before. Chara, unscathed and still brimming with energy, herself shaking from exertion and pain. More cuts had formed on her skin, though Frisk could only feel a slight burning sensation. 

Her thoughts could only focus on one thing, though.

  
  
  
  


_ Sans… _

  
  
  
  


_ Sans.. _

  
  
  
  


_ Sans.. _

  
  
  
  


_ I need your help, Sans… _

  
  
  
  


_ Please… _

  
  
  
  


_ Don’t leave me.. _

  
  


Despair welled up inside the light of her SOUL and she felt the last bit of her strength leave and flow towards the darkness that made up the other half. 

She was further away now, and a part of her knew that she’d never be able to return from her hopelessness. She had made it into Purgatory. 

She was beginning to fade, she was lost.

  
  
  


_ Sans…. _

  
  
  


_ I love you… _

  
  
  


_ Please don’t cry… _

  
  
  


_ My Sans… _

  
  
  
The light of her SOUL was gone, swallowed by the darkness that was her determination. 


	14. Decimoquarta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle continues. Not everyone gets out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is the death of a character in this chapter, though I have intentionally not made it emotional yet, as the battle continues.

Sans was shocked when he saw Undyne and the Royal Guard appear in the darkness of her mind. He hadn’t thought that Alphys would have come through for him.

_ Good job, Al. _

He began to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

_ Maybe we can win. Maybe I can get her back and she can live happily once again. Maybe I can be by her side.. _

“Undyne! Take the guards and help with Chara! Don’t attack the demon just yet though! Frisk’s determination has control of her body!” He ordered, dancing around the attacks Gaster was sending his way. 

“Understood! Let's go, guys!

“Yes, ma’am!” the entire Royal Guard chimed.

_ Now I can focus on him. _

Sans felt a grin spread darkly across his face. He wasn’t used to allowing people other than Frisk to help him, but he wouldn’t turn away her offer for help. She was a strong ally, afterall.

Gaster sent out his own version of blasters at Sans, who was able to dodge them with ease. 

A burst of scarlet flame and an orange ray of plasma burst from behind Sans. He recognized the plasma magic as Papyrus’ but the flames had him confused.

_ Only a handful of us know how to wield flames….Grillby! _

He chanced a look behind him, and sure enough, his favorite bartender was there, helping him battle the darkness that was Gaster. 

Grillby stared wistfully at his old friend before sending out another attack. Sans and Papyrus followed his lead, carefully timing their attacks. Gaster avoided most of them, but one from Papyrus struck his shoulder, and they could see rage flash in the violet eyes of their foe. 

He sent out a barrage of attacks, one hitting Papyrus. It threw him and Sans quickly did a check on his brother, sighing a breath of relief when he saw that it had only done a quarter of damage to his health. But relief faded behind mania. 

_ How dare he hurt Papyrus. He is going to pay. _

Sans released his power, teleporting behind Gaster, coating his SOUL in blue before throwing him forcefully into a wall of spiked bone. Normally, he’d be fair and give someone a literal second before skewering them, but he wasn’t in the mood for niceties anymore. 

More bones fired at Gaster from the ceiling, and Sans his blasters form a sphere around his old boss, making sure escape was impossible. 

_ There’s no fucking way this piece of shit avoided that. _

A dark purple light fired through the blinding white of Sans’ blasters and missed him by inches.

_ How is this fucker still alive?! That should have dusted him! _

While Gaster was distracted, Grillby and Papyrus, who was now back on his feet, sent attacks of almost equal ferocity towards Gaster. He was enveloped in a ring of fire, with the orange plasma from Papyrus shooting down at him from the ceiling. Sans kept the SOUL of his enemy blue, pinning him on his bed of spiked bone. 

Somehow maneuvering out of the way of the attacks, Gaster quickly shot up, Sans almost losing his grip. He shot off towards Chara, and his mask slammed into her stomach. Instead of knocking her over, however, he sunk into her, disappearing from sight. 

_ Fuck me. _

Sans stared as the enemies merged. Gaster’s features began showing themselves in Chara, her face gaining his wraith-like grin, and cracks that exposed muscle and bone and full eyes appeared on her face. Blood trickled from the openings, looking like bloody tears. Her body grew taller and thinner, while darkness encased all of her except her eyes. 

When she spoke, both her own voice and Gaster’s echoed throughout the dark space.

**_“I grow tired of your games. It is time to end this futile battle.”_ **

**_“i GRow tIrEd oF YoUR GamES. IT iS TIMe tO eND ThIS fUTilE bAttLE.”_ **

_ What now? _

A blinding light shot through the room as Gaster and Chara, power united, summoned a blaster unlike any Sans had ever seen. It aimed at the furious demon and within the blink of an eye, the Demon of Determination was eradicated. 

_ FRISK!  _

Without the SOUL of Frisk keeping them in her mind, everyone was expelled from the inky darkness. 

_ NO! FRISK! I NEED TO GO BACK! _

Not even paying attention to his new surroundings, Sans tried to slide back into her mind, but a very effective barrier had been placed. He couldn’t get to her any longer. 

Grillby put a hand on his shoulder, and helped him to his feet. They were back in the Lab, though it looked much different than when they had left it. 

Tables were flipped over, the screen with a large crack in it, rendering it useless, chunks of the ceiling were littering the floor. 

Sounds of a struggle where coming from outside, and everyone raced towards it, though Sans was hesitant to leave Frisk on the table. There was nothing he could do for her now. The pain shot through him like lightning as he realized that he had failed her. But he didn’t have time to mourn her just yet. Alphys was in trouble.

Muffet, Mettaton, and Napstablook where fighting a large, morphed, ranunculus. Sans recognized Flowey immediately, as he had seen this form before.

_ Shit. I didn’t know he was in on this, too! SHIT! SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!  _

Mettaton looked about beat, he hadn’t expected the flower to be quite so powerful, and Muffet wasn’t in much better condition. Napstablook, Sans knew, was fine, as no damage could be done to the ghost.

Grillby rushed to Muffet’s side, flames shooting higher in frustration and anger, though he quickly calmed himself down. He wasn’t one to get hotheaded so easily. Papyrus, however, rushed over to Mettaton, beginning to heal his idol. 

“There’s no time for this now, darling. Alphys is in danger! You have to save her!” He shoo-ed Papyrus away from him as he stood up gingerly. Grillby had gotten Muffet to her feet and carefully walked her back away from the battleground, not wanting to risk her life anymore.

“Where is Alphys!” Sans heard Undyne shout from behind him.

“That flower fuck has her. How do you want to attack this son of a bitch?” He asked the Captain.

She issued her commands, and Sans awaited her orders and she worked on getting her men back into position. In the meantime, he sent attack after attack at the flower, aiming for the enlarged roots and leaves. 

_ That’s right. Focus on me, weed. It’s about damn time I let loose my frustrations.  _

Sans’ felt Frisk in his mind, and her determination filled his SOUL. He was ready. He would win. For  _ Her _ . 

_ I love you, Frisk. _


	15. Decimoquinto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Undyne give Flowey a bad time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, I am so sorry for the lack of chapters over the past couple of days! I got hit by the hurricane and was out of power for 2 days! I think that most of the city still doesn't have any so I am completely lucky.
> 
> Also, there is a character that dies in this chapter. Sorry guys!

She had felt a blast of heat, though it was though she was miles away from the actual source of it. After it had hit her, she felt a silence that she had never felt before. She was alone in her mind, adrift on an endless sea of memories. Some were from this past timeline, and she smiled when she saw  _ him _ next to her. 

In other timelines, the sight of him either made her extremely gleeful, or extremely pissed off. When she was angry, she noticed that there had been a large bit of fear and frustration as well. Those had been the bad timelines, the genocide. She watched as he tore her apart with bones and blasters. 

Typically, when she had died in the past, she had been able to go into the dark abyss without delay. She could then choose to reset or continue. These memories where all that she could see here, though.

_ I wonder if I’ve finally died for real? I wonder if that’s why I feel nothing. I know that I should be scared, but..I’m not. _

With naught else to do, she sat down, and watched the movie of all her lifetimes.

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  


Undyne was getting frustrated. This flower was taking too damn long to dust. Her men were slowly getting taken out, overpowered and then removed from battle. Some got help from other monsters, others got dusted. 

The only ones with any juice left were a few of her top officers. Honestly, how this little shit got past Asgore and got to the SOULs was beyond her. She knew none of them would be able to defeat this monster with six human SOULs. 

“Doggo,” she called to one of the monsters leading the injured off the battlefield, “get them out of here faster, dammit!”

“Yes ma’am!” he called, and ran off with his injured companion on his shoulders. She had long gotten issued an order to get all monsters of healing off the battlefield and into a safe place, one where they could help the others with their injuries. 

Her plan with Sans was still taking time to set up. They had managed to get the flower closer to the edge of the Hotland Cliffs, ever so slowly, inch by inch. It was going to be difficult to execute though. They somehow had to get him even closer without him noticing their plan. 

_ Just a few more feet. _

“Take this, fuckface!” Undyne let out a battle cry and sent a wall of spears towards the roots of the morphed flower. He jumped back a few feet. The roots where the monster’s weak spot, and Undyne kept striking at them, trying to push him back more and more. 

Finally, she had got him back far enough, and she waved her hand downwards; the signal was sent.

_ Come on, Sans. Let’s get this over with. _

She kept her eye firmly trained on the flower in front of her. She wouldn’t look away, doing so meant death. From her peripheral vision, she saw a thick row of Sans’ blasters forming overhead. Well above the head of the flower. If he saw them, he would be able to get away. 

While they were forming, she kept up her attack of spears. She had to keep the monster focused on her. Otherwise they would all die. Afterall, he’d expect it again if he survived.

Right as she was about to dodge an attack from Flowey, she heard Sans’ voice.

“Get outta there!”

And she did. She flipped over the tide of seeds he shot at her and retreated.

The voice of their enemy shook her with it’s loud volume and multi-pitch; she could detect each of the voices from the SOULs within his voice.. 

“HAHAHA! Retreating, are we? It’s time for you to BE KILLED! Stand tall and welcome DEATH!”

At that moment, a thick wall of white-blue plasma shot down from the ceiling, hitting the front of Flowey. In his pain, he released Alphys, letting her crash into the rocky floor. Undyne scooped her up and ran back from Flowey, eager to get the scientist to safety. 

When the light faded, the flower was still standing, a demonic grin on his face. 

“Did you REALLY think that that would be enough to DEFEAT ME? You IDIOTS!”

A dark laugh began to sound from his throat, but it was quickly cut off by the sound of the earth weakening. 

Smiling darkly, Sans stepped forwards. 

“It started out as a beautiful day. While there were no birds, you were blooming. On days like these,  _ freaks  _ like you….. _ SHOULD BE BURNING IN HELL. _ ” He let his eyes darken, and a shiver of fear shot up the flower’s stalks.

With that, the earth gave way. Flowey tired to sink his roots into the rocks of the cliff, but they were too hard. He couldn’t get a grip, not in time to save him.

“I don’t wanna DIE!!” Tears erupted from his face as he fell. Roots and stems bursting into flame as the lava caked over him.

Screams of pain as his large form was burned alive, and he was unable to escape the hot lava. His screams were only heard for a short moment as he sank below the liquid inferno. 

Sans and Undyne both knew he had died. They had each gained LV, even though they were not coated in his dust. The feeling sent a cringe through them, but they didn’t stay focused on it for long. There was someone waiting for Sans and Undyne was anxious to get back to her men and Alphys.

He hurried back inside the Lab, and only stopped when he made it to the table Frisk was on. Taking her hand in his, he prayed. He prayed to her and to whatever higher power there may or may not be. His heart was shattering by the moment, the anger and hatred and adrenaline from the battle leaving him tired and broken.

  
  


_ Please, Frisk, please wake up.  _

  
  


_ I still have so much I want to share with you. _

  
  


_ Come back, love. Come back to me, please. _

  
  


_ Don’t end it like this, please don’t let end like this. _

  
  


_ Reset, darling, please. _

  
  


_ Please...please...please _

  
  


_ Please don’t leave me, babygirl.  _

  
  


_ I love you so much, Frisk. _

  
  


His eye sockets closed and he felt a wetness sliding down his face. He knew he was crying, and if she could see him, she’d want to examine his tears.  _ Damn scientist. She had wanted to meet Alphys so bad.. _

He let out a short bark of hurt laughter. Of course she wouldn’t get what she wanted. There was something that refused to let her be happy though she tried to always keep that beautiful smile of hers. 

Sans stayed beside her, letting his grief overwhelm him. He cried until he had no more tears left. It didn’t feel like enough, his heart still hurt, and he could feel his own SOUL turning blue from moroseness. Papyrus had come to get him, but Sans had paid his brother no mind.  _ Papyrus is safe, it’s okay for now, right? Please, just let me stay here, Pap.. _

When the taller brother picked him up, Sans struggled, trying to get down, to get back to his girl.  _ NO! You can’t do this! You can’t keep me from her! She’ll wake up in a bit and I have to be there for her! _ He could only think these words, his voice lost to the emotions in turmoil within him. 

So he was taken back home. Papyrus never let go of his brother. He knew the moment he did, Sans would teleport back to Frisk. His brother had retreated into a shell. He wouldn’t speak to Papyrus.  _ SANS, PLEASE LET ME HELP YOU. RELY ON ME. _ But that quiet wish wasn’t answered. Instead, the shorter skelebro sank deeper into himself, and ignored the outside world around him. He couldn’t feel  _ her _ determination anymore. 

  
  
  


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Despite landing hard on rocks, the only injuries Alphys had were minor cuts and bruises. Undyne wasn’t going to leave her side, however. She still had a nagging feeling that she had forgotten something crucial, and that it may come back to bite her in the ass. 

They were headed down the hallway in silence, planning to collect Frisk’s remains and cremate them. It was easier to deal with dust than with bodies, after all. 

_ This is gonna be hard on Sans..poor kid. _

Alphys stopped outside the door, hesitating to open it. She didn’t like death of any kind, and seeing Frisk’s body was going to hurt her. She had really hoped that they could have been friends, watching anime together and studying the world, side by side. Now, that dream was crushed, along with the knowledge that the other six human SOULs had been consumed by Flowey and flame. 

Shaking herself, she opened the door. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or frightened, though she decided on the latter of her options. 

Frisk’s body was gone. 


	16. Notice

Okay everyone, right now, I am going through some technical difficulties. About the time I got power back from the hurricane, my cat pushed my laptop off the table. It now doesn't have access to wi-fi and I have no cable to link it up to the internet elsewhere. I'm going to have to transfer all the data from said laptop to my desktop while it's getting fixed. That being said, I am working on the next few chapters and they will be out as soon as possible. Sorry for the delay and thank you guys for being understanding.


	17. Decimosexto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for Chara and Gaster to start their Underground extinction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait guys! Laptop is still not working so I had to redo this chapter. Also, I won't be posting quite so often for awhile. It's about fall so it's the time of year where I cook pumpkin pie non-stop for a few weeks. I've made 12 so far today. I need to make 4 more tomorrow and also a red velvet cake....BUT BACK TO WHAT MATTERS! Yeah, don't expect an update on a daily basis anymore. Sorry 3: but thank you all so much for the support!

_ Where is she? Dead humans don’t just up and walk away! Was she faking death the entire time? But Al's tests proved her to be dead! Holy fuck I hate things that don't make sense. _ These thoughts floated around in Undyne's mind, though their more timid and soft-spoken counterparts were racing through the mind of the Royal Scientist.

The shock of the vanished human had both Alphys and Undyne very confused. But then, everything clicked into place. They spoke in unison

“Chara!”

“Chara!” 

“SHIT! This is not fucking good! FUCK ME!” Undyne cursed. “Hasn’t enough taken place today? The fuck can’t we get a break?” She stopped, remembering something else. 

“SHIT SHIT SHIT FUCKING SHIT! Gaster and Chara combined! I gotta let Sans and Papyrus know!”

She quickly dialed Papyrus’ number. He answered on the first ring.

“UN-” he began, but was interrupted.

“No time, twerp! Got some shi-crap news! Chara and Gaster have taken over the punk’s body! She’s gone! Don’t know where she could have gone! We need to get everyone we can to safety! Tell Sans now!”

Papyrus quickly hung up. Undyne then made sure she called everyone she knew who was still strong enough to evacuate everyone into the King’s Undercastle. 

She then made the call she was dreading most.

He picked up on the third ring.

“Howdy, Undyne. What can I do for you?” A deep baritone resonated within her SOUL.

“Got some bad news..” She explained to him everything that had taken place and he issued the order to get every single monster into his castle within three hours. 

She hung up. Time was a-ticking and she had none to waste.

  
  


\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
  


With Gaster’s magic, Chara materialized at the base of the hole where she had fallen all those decades ago. Looking up, she could see only darkness. She slowly tread her way through the archways until she made it to the Ruins. A smile cracked on her face.  **_This was going to be fun._ **

A few of the smaller monsters came up to her immediately, recognizing their friend. They asked her where she had been and why she had left, as Toriel had told them nothing. She went along with it for awhile, keeping up the façade. She wanted to kill them one at a time, wanted to see the hurt and betrayal smother their once happy features. 

After talking with them for a while, they disbanded, headed back to their homes. One had lingered though, had wanted to talk with her more, to learn more of life outside the Ruins. Chara talked with it, and got its hopes up. It turned away, and as it did, she slid her knife out of the pocket of her shorts, and cut through the little monster. It instantly turned to dust.

The raise in EX felt wonderful.

**_Oh, how I have missed this feeling. How are we doing in there, my love?_ **

**_LeAVe ME be, cHArA. i aM REsTinG. My SoNS HAvE gROwN wEll._ **

Chara listened to her master. With them sharing a body, it would be unwise to anger him. A shiver of fear flowed up her spine, her body remembering every moment of his wrath. 

A noise brought her attention to a little path off to her left. Walking down it, she found a froggit. She readied her knife. 

When it turned around, she stabbed the blade through its stomach. She could see the hurt and confusion in its eyes as it screamed in agony. A wide grin overtook her and she laughed, the darkness of it pleasing her ears. Blood of the monster splashed upon her hands and speckled her sweater. When some of the ruby liquid landed on her lips, she couldn’t help but lick it off, savoring the tangy taste of the copper. She slammed her knife into the stomach of the froggit once more, this time ripping the blade to the side, spilling its innards onto the dirty floor below. Only after it was dead, the carcass returning to dust, did Chara stand. The anguished wails of the dead froggit still echoing in her ears, she felt a surge of adrenaline.

**_It’s been far too long. Let’s have some fun!_ **

Eyes twinkling, she walked down through the Ruins, killing everything that crossed her path. The death of every monster only served to heighten her perverse pleasure. She loved the screams, the taste of blood, the sting of Frisk’s betrayal to her ‘friends’. Bathed in the blood of her latest kill, a Loox, she stood, reveling in the carnage that followed in her wake. She walked all through the Ruins, going as far as to look for every single monster that Frisk had befriended, until no more survived. In the midst of her sensual malignity, as she was still not satisfied, she made it to Toriel’s home.

This was going to be erotic. 

Chara stepped inside, the scent of Butterscotch-Cinnamon pie assaulting her nose. 

“Frisk! How did you get back here, child? Oh! It doesn’t matter! I’ve missed you so much!” Chara was scooped up in a hug from the giant goat monster. She returned the hug. Chara would play along. She really wanted to hurt this one. Though, she didn't know if the goat was oblivious, or a fucking idiot. How did she not see the blood and dust on her 'child'? But no matter, she wouldn't bring it up herself.

“I missed you too, Aunt Tori! I missed you and wanted to come home! I finished documenting everything out there! Do you want to see?” She was a very good actress, or so she thought. She waited until she got her slice of pie, then began to set the wheels of motion into work. 

“Aunt Tori, I made a ton of new friends outside the Ruins. Tomorrow, do you want to come with me so you can meet them?”

“I would love to meet your friends, Frisk.” Toriel said with a smile. 

After they had had their dinner, Chara made a show of being tired from her journey. They said their goodnights, and both went to bed. 

Chara and Gaster needed the sleep. They had drained a lot of magic in the battle, and they had also lost Asriel. Losing him had upset Chara a bit, though with Gaster and her sharing a SOUL, his calm and scientific nature helped to quell her rage. 

**_Sleep well, Gaster._ **

He didn’t respond. 

The night passed quickly, and they both felt rested.  **_Time to get this show on the road._ **

Toriel had already made breakfast, and after a quick meal, they packed and waited for her by the door to the rest of the Underground. 

When she made it downstairs, they opened the doors together. When they made it to the pristine snow of Snowdin, Chara allowed a moment for Toriel to reacquaint herself with the new surroundings. After all, this was where she would die. 

Excitement had risen in Toriel. It had been such a long time since she had been outside the Ruins. Her eyes glistened, watching the snow falling from the cavern’s impossibly high ceiling. Toriel took a deep breath of fresh air, the first she had had in ages. 

Chara slipped her knife out of her sleeve, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. 

**_WaiT, CHaRa. i HaVe a DiFFeReNT iDea. LeT’S SaVe HeR aND THe oTHeR STRoNG MoNSTeRs FoR THe eND. i WaNT SoMeTHiNG To LooK FoRWaRD To._ **

**_Yes, my love._ **

She put away her blade. 

They continued to walk through the deep snow of Snowdin. Toriel skated on the ice like a professional with Chara slipping behind her. They passed by the abandoned puzzles that Papyrus had once been so proud of. Toriel thought about making them work, but when she noticed that Chara was cold, she suggested that they move faster so they could get to the Inn in town.

A few hours of walking later, their progress slowed by the thick snow, they made it to town. However, there was no one there. It was completely abandoned. 

**_I figured it wouldn’t take them long to find out that we have come back. Oh well. Let’s hope Toriel doesn’t get suspicious, eh, darling?_ **

**_LeT HeR SuSPeCT. SHe CaNNoT eSCaPe FoReVeR. We aRe iN aN uNDeRGRouND PRiSoN, aFTeR aLL._ **

Toriel was confused. She had remembered Snowdin being a lively little town. She was sure not much could have changed in the last few hundred years that she had been away. A slight shudder of fear traveled up the large goat monster’s spine. When she had last spoken to the voice on the other side of the door, he had made it seem like Snowdin was never without monsters.

_ What could have happened? _ She wondered to herself.

“Frisk, where do your friends live, child?” 

“They live in Waterfall. Wanna keep moving?”

Toriel felt herself nod, and she began taking her large strides towards the edge of town. As they passed by the second entrance of the Snowdin Tunnels, a blue light flashed near them. 

**_Fuck. Welp, looks like we may either fight or be alone for awhile._ ** Chara mentally projected her thoughts to Gaster, trying to gauge a reaction from him. He never answered. 

“Stop right there, Tori. That isn’t Frisk.” The familiar baritone made its way to Toriel’s ears and she turned to see a short skeleton staring at her child, his left eye flashing blue and gold. However, unlike she imagined, there was no sign of humor on her old friend’s face. 

“What do you mean? Of course she is. I would know the face of my own child, after all.” She let out a strangled chuckle, confused at his harsh words. 

“Toriel, by order of King Asgore, all monsters should be evacuated. This includes you.” With that, Sans stepped forwards, grabbing Toriel by the hand. A moment later, they were gone, leaving Chara alone in the abandoned Underground. 

“Heh, so you wanna play like this, do you? Get ready, Asgore. Get ready to die.” A dark grin erupted on Chara’s face as her eyes sank into her skull, turning them into twin black abysses. 


	18. Decimoséptimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so sorry it's been awhile. Had a bad case of writer's block and I still do. I won't be posting very frequently, but I WILL finish what I have started. That being said, this is a VERY short chapter because of said blockage. I'm sorry TT^TT

"Sans! What is the meaning of this? Let me go back to my child!" Toriel struggled to pull her hand from the short skeleton's hand, but he was much stronger than he looked, and his grip didn't falter. 

"No can do, Tori. I don't typically follow orders, but unless you want to die, stay away from that demon. Frisk is dead, and in her body is Chara and Gaster." Once they made it into the sanctuary, Sans dropped Toriel's hand. 

Whimpering came from his side and he felt deep in his bones the sorrow that the regal goat woman was feeling. Their once sweet girl was gone, and this time, Sans didn't know if they could get her back. But he could nothing to comfort the crying woman at his side, so instead he walked ahead of her. She would follow when she was ready, when she had sorted out her grief. However, it wasn't just for his sake that he walked ahead of Toriel; in reality, he didn't want her to see the cyan tears that ran down his cheekbones.

He rubbed at his eyes harshly. Crying wouldn't bring her back. Instead, they had to do something. They had to fight, a plan had to be made. What were his advantages? They still hadn't lost the strongest of the monsters in the Underground, neither Chara nor Gaster knew of this place as it had been dug out after they had faded. There was still the machine in his house, but banishing them to the void, the darkness where universes couldn't exist, wouldn't bring his girl back. No, that would be a last minute resort. Maybe the determination in Chara's SOUL could be removed though. Gaster had to be bound to Chara somehow, so how could he remove Gaster and Chara from Frisk's body? 

_Think, you numbskull, think! What connects the two entities? They can't both inhabit the same body, it's too small for two minds. Meaning, one is in the body and the other has to be in something close. What could that be?! Something Chara always has on her being? What does that trash cherish above all?_

With that thought, it hit him.  _The knife! Gaster has to be in the knife! Separate the two, and that breaks the binding!_

Sans nearly jumped for joy when he finally reached his conclusion. Opening a shortcut, he all but leaped through. Moments later, he was in front of Asgore and Undyne and he wasted no time in explaining his plan.

"So, if the punk drops the knife, and we can get her to the DT extractor, we might be able to win?!"

"But, Sans, how do we get her there without endangering my charges?" Asgore asked worriedly. Putting the lives of monsters at risk was out of the question and he would not support any plan that required someone to act as bait. 

"Easy. I'll lure her there. I've no doubt that she wants to kill anyone she can. But if there is no one up there, then her bloodlust must be getting pretty intense. It's going to be driving her mad shortly. In that state, I doubt that Gaster will be able to control her much. I'll get her to chase me down into the True Lab. After that, have Alphys and Undyne cut the power to the elevator so she can't leave. After that, I've got to somehow subdue her and get her into the extractor. After that, if I can get it fired up fast enough, we may be able to contain her SOUL in the SOUL capsules that were developed for the fallen children. If that's the case, we can throw it into the Lava surrounding Hotland. The heat won't kill her SOUL, but it should cause enough pain to prevent her escaping for a few hundred years. Maybe by then, we can get out of here and seal the Underground away forever." 

During his speech, Asgore's face had darkened little by little until Sans had finished speaking. Undyne, on the other hand, had began to look more and more animated at the thought of winning. She found the plan fool-proof. 

"Asgore! This is perfect! There's no way this plan will lose!" At the end of her praise, she couldn't contain herself as she jumped and did a double fist pump to the air, excitement causing her blood to boil in anticipation of another battle. 

"Sans, you cannot be used as bait. I will not allow it. We will think of another plan. One that doesn't endanger your life."

"Asgore," Sans spoke, his expression deadpanning, "when Frisk died, I didn't want a life anymore. And I still don't. But I refuse to allow Chara to defile Frisk's body any longer. I will go through with this plan. This way, only my life will be in danger. You and everyone else will stay here and be protected." 

Asgore felt a chill run along his spine, and for the first time in a very long time, he felt fear for his own life. 

"Alright Sans, have it your way."


	19. Decimoctavo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am still suffering from writer's block but I am determined to have this thing finished by Christmas. That being said, enjoy.

Somewhere in the dark, she floated. She was nameless, formless, empty. Any part of who she had been before..wait, was she a she..an it..? "She" felt like a good fit at first, but as "she" began to think about it, the feeling of rightness escaped her grasp. There was something that needed to be done. And there had been a friend...wait, no...a lover? Thinking caused pain, so the one who was empty just stopped. It was easier to feel..wait, could she feel? Her body refused to listen to her, though she was sure at some point she had had one. She didn't believe she had a sensation of touch anymore. In the darkness, her eyes fluttered, but there was still no light. No smells hit her nose-did she even have a nose?- and she tried to make a noise, "H-help.." But no one came. 

Chara was getting impatient. Her blood boiled, her body was desperate for a fight. She  _NEEDED_ more LV. Her hands itched in anticipation for the next fight. The best part for her would be to crush the smaller skeleton. He knew about the resets, about  _her_ , and she never understood why. Even Gaster, who was nothing more than a whisper amongst screams, had known about her. She had a feeling that they were somehow related, stupid scientists. Stupid trashbag family. Why should she, the Angel who would make the Underground go empty, work together with Mr Sadistic, the forgotten? It pissed her off. A creature of her malevolence relying on someone else? Screw that. But he had latched like a leech on her SOUL. His hands were buried deep within her, and she was his. She supposed she loved him, but she thought she would love him more if he was dead. There was little freedom he gave her, and that was all she wanted; the freedom to destroy the Underground and the surface, and all who dwelled on the earth. 

Gaster had retreated into the back of Chara's psyche. She was beginning to become insufferable. The never ending tirade of thoughts swirling in his not-there ears was going to drive him more mad than he already was. Couldn't the little bitch keep her thoughts to herself? Maybe he'd punish her again, but the annoying bitch was a masochist as well as a sadist. He loved her in his own way, but the thought of squeezing the life from her sent ecstasy through him, more than he could bear. He just couldn't see a way to win. But something was more troubling than the lack of peace and his few conflicting emotions. There was a tiny black spot in the girl's...Frisk's...mind. It almost appeared two-dimensional, but even as he circled around it, it circled with him, only showing him the one side. Touching it had caused his hand to turn to sand. Because he was in the mind of Chara, he didn't have any tools that could physically touch it, and all the ones he conjured disappeared every time they got close to it. Most likely, the remainder of Frisk was held within in it. If she found the way out, she could easily expel him from her mind. Chara was his only tether to this body, but the destruction of her SOUL from the inside, where he was powerless, would destroy him as well. If Frisk escaped her mental prison, he would have to flee. Let Chara be destroyed, and perhaps in time, he would get another chance to escape the mental realm. But only time would tell, and Father Time kept his secrets. 

She wandered around Waterfall. While there was no one to kill, she looked at her reflection, and she was glad to see her original face appearing. The stupid owner of this body was dead and Chara was going to redecorate. Her skin was paler in only a few days than when it had been when she had first taken over. Her eyes were a bright red, finally, and the scars of past were surfacing on her flesh. Soon, this body would be all hers and then no one, not even poor little Frisk's guard dog could return it to its former, shabby self. 

Just as she was thinking about him, he appeared behind her, a bone materializing and shooting through her ankle. Chara let out a snicker and effortlessly pulled the sharp bone out of her limb. More shot at her, and she deflected them with the bloodied bone. 

"So you've finally come to play, have you, Trashbag?" She felt her eyes blacken. "You won't get away from me this time." 

Sans shot more bones at her, and then entrapped her within his blue magic. Squeezing his fist tight, he pushed the air from her lungs, and threw her body into the roof of the cavern. She hit with a solid thud, and he let go of his magic. She plummeted into the ground. While she was immobilized from the hard landing, Sans pulled her towards him this time, grabbed her by the hair, and stepped through his shortcut. 

When he reached the True Lab, he slammed her head into the tiled floor. Tiled cracked and blood erupted from Chara's nose. She took a swing at him, but she was dizzy. The feeling of the air leaving her lungs and not being able to breathe, and then the hard fall into the stony earth below had winded her. Before she was able to react, the stupid bag of bones had broken her nose. When her eyes focused, she couldn't help but notice a strong red color to the entire room. She supposed that the break was higher up and had popped a blood vessel. That was fine though, blood loss had never made her quit before and it certainly wouldn't stop her now. 

A bone shot out of the floor underneath her, but she felt the vibrations coming and managed to get away from Sans before it impaled her. Chara lunged at him as soon as her feet were on the floor, the bone in her hand held out like a spear. But the skeleton was too fast for her to land a hit. He was fighting differently than he had before. Something about his reckless movements as he feinted left while bones shot from behind her towards him had Chara on edge. His eyes were nothing but dark sockets, with one bright cyan light mixed with gold flashing intensely. His moved not only were deadly to her, but it seemed like he was completely disregarding his own life. 

Chara chased after Sans, away from his attacks. She stabbed left, kicked right, and attempted to leg sweep the trashbag in a single, fluid motion, but somehow he avoided it like the plague. Another bone shot through her left foot, the one that she had been using to support her weight. She screamed in pain, distracted for a minute. More bones shot into her, one through her hands, another into the joint of her knee. She was brought down into a position of kneeling. 

"You know if you kill me, poor little Frisky will be gone forever. No more resets." Chara let out a maniacal laugh while Sans stared at her with dead eyes. "Good, this shit was old anyways." With that, he summoned up a large bone with a pointed tip. Her eyes grew wide. She hadn't expected him to give up on his lover. But she recovered from the shock too late, the bone sword was already through her chest and she was pinned to the floor. She pushed up as much as she was able, which wasn't much, only about half an inch. The sword got thicker as is went so pulling it through entirely wasn't going to work, but her arms couldn't reach the sword around her back. The movement sent her nerves on fire and she tried to scream. Her lungs didn't seem to want to work, instead, she coughed, trying to suck down air. But the rush of air only brought pain and blood to her. Sans slowly materialized more bones, each one with a sharp point at the end of it. The first ones, he slowly pushed through her legs, splintering her own bones, before the end of it was the only visible part. 

Chara screamed. "Gaster, help me"

_**YoU'Re oN yOUr OwN. HErE iS YoUr cHAnCe fOR fREeDOM.** _

She felt his hands leave her SOUL and his presence was gone. 

Panicked, she forgot about the bones pinning her to the floor and attempted to stand up. "GASTER! COWARD! GET BACK HERE AND HELP ME!" But no body came. 

Sans wasn't done with her, yet. A bone pin pierced each shoulder, shattering her shoulder blades and parts of her collarbones. The next ones held her wrists to the floor, and she was completely immobile. The shorter skeleton ignored her screams, her threats, and her jabs made at his broken heart. It was glad she hadn't put up much of a fight, hopefully he would have time to say goodbye to Frisk..if she could handle the pain of her broken body. He was somewhat relieved though. Chara hadn't noticed where she was now pinned. He walked over to the DT Extractor. Alphys had already showed him how to power it up and he had prepared it before he had brought Chara here. He flicked a few switches, then pulled down on the tallest lever. Sans honestly hadn't expected the extractor to still be in working order, but it was a huge relief that it seemed to work. The machine whirled to life and a large needle came down from the inside of the machine. He pulled the needle and guided it to Chara's....Frisk's..his beautiful and broken Frisk's...heart. He slid it in, and when it was in place, he stood and walked back to the machine. 

_Please work...Frisk, my love, forgive me_

With that final though, he slammed his fist on the button that would start the process. The machine began to suck DT from Chara, the needle slowly filling with a deep blood red. He stood before her, her screams falling on deaf ears. Sans would not stop until Chara... in his Frisk...was dead. He watched the needle fill with almost a bored expression on his face. He was done smiling. That Sans was gone, along with his girl. Soon, the needle was full, and Chara was silent, but Sans knew she had more to give, so he changed the filled syringe to an empty one and began again. 

An hour and a half later, 7 vials of DT extracted, Chara died. For good this time. Sans laid his hand on his girl's back, and gently pulled her flickering SOUL from it. The evil taint of Chara was very much gone, but so much damage was done to Frisk's. He wasn't sure if she would hear him, but he tried. He drew out his own SOUL and very softly melded them together.

 

 

 

 

 

_Frisk...I..I don't know if you can hear me from where you are...but, if you can..I love you. I've loved you for so long and through so many timelines. Through so many resets. But please...._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Don't come back._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_I've done terrible things to Chara..you..your body can't survive. I'm going to use Chara's SOUL to open the barrier. I want to give my brother a chance to see the sun. I'm so sorry, my beautiful girl._

 

 

\-----------------------

She floated in the darkness, her body one with the void. She felt no cold, and no warmth. No peace and no anxiety. Where did she end? Or did she go on forever? Had she always been alone? She supposed she had. She couldn't remember anything. Just the void. Occasionally, she thought she saw flashes of cyan and gold, but she was sure her mind was playing tricks on her. There were no colors. She couldn't remember the names of her favorite color. Did she have a favorite at some point? She thought she did. But really, what did it matter? It didn't exist. Nothing did, not even her. But how could she not exist? "I think, therefore I am." The thought crossed her mind, but it didn't help her. It didn't do any good. How long had she been here? She had wanted to escape at some point. She remembered calling for help but as always, no one came. Perhaps she really was dead. She had thought death would be scary, but she didn't expect it to be so...boring...lonely. Maybe this was Hell? No..it's too boring for Hell. Maybe purgatory, but her sins weren't crawling on her back. 

 

As she was lost in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed that the air around her had warmed up and the darkness turned into amethyst. But as she focused, the changes reached her skin, her eyes. And she heard a voice that made her heart soar in its cage. It was _him_. The voice belonged to  _him_. And she suddenly remembered everything that the void had taken from her. She recognized his words and her SOUL sang with joy at the confession of his love. But something was..wrong...He sounded..different.. _broken_. 

 

 

 

 

_Don't come back._  

 

 

 

 

All at once, her heart shattered. She felt his pain, and she felt her own. She couldn't tell who's pain belonged to who after a few seconds. Only that she wanted to be with him, she wanted his pain to stop. Her determination flared to life once more. She had to see him and so she opened her eyes. 


	20. Decimonoveno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So basically a filler chapter, Frisk remembers all her previous resets, and then gets taken to the bonezone.   
> **Warning** There is attempted suicide, mentions of viscera, etc. 
> 
> Also, this is a pretty long chapter, I've been writing since 8 something and now it's 2:22 am  
> Enjoy you guys!

_Don't come back._

 

The words still echoed in her mind even as she opened her eyes. Trying to move, she realized that nothing would respond to her. She couldn't move her legs and her arms stubbornly refused to lift her torso from..wait..where was she? Confusion over her unfamiliar location washed over her. The room was fairly dark and there was something, some sort of machine, that towered over her. A needle hung down from it, directly over her SOUL. Fear shot through her and she began to panic. 

_What is that thing? There's something red...oh god..was that...blood?! Or was it part of her SOUL?_

_Shh...it's okay, Frisky. You can get out of here..lift your head._

But even as she thought it, she found it was impossible. Her eyes looked downwards at her body and she saw bones... _his bones_...pinning her body down. Strangely though, she felt nothing. She knew that she should be in pain, that she should be screaming in agony. Looking at the viscera of  _his_ attack, she felt herself retch and she coughed to rid the bit of vile that had gone down her windpipe. 

_Okay..this is terrible..think, girl, THINK! No pain, in fact, you can feel a slight breeze on your face, but nowhere else. Are you in shock? Most likely. Paralyzed? Just as likely...Okay, I can do this._

Her determination flickered to life.  _Lift your head._ Nothing.  _Lift your head._ Still, nothing happened. She drew more upon her determination. 

_Lift your head, Frisk._

 

 

 

_LIFT your head._

 

 

 

_Do it, Frisky._

 

 

 

_LIFT YOUR HEAD._

 

 

 

_LIFT IT._

 

 

 

_You've got a red SOUL, NOW LIFT YOUR GODDAMN HEAD._

 

 

 

_LIFT IT NOW!_

 

 

 

Determination flared to life much stronger than it had been before, and exhausted with exertion, she lifted her head very slightly off her flat surface before it thumped back down. Sweat covered her brow and she felt nothing but frustration and determination to get up, to get these bones out of her, and get out of this dark room. She had to find  _him_ and apologize. Had to make things right. 

 

Memories of the past assaulted her mind. She remembered everything that had ever happened to them. 

 

The first time, the fear she had felt in the darkness of the hole, and then the betrayal from Flowey that had stung her heart. She had been only a child then, no older than 12. Toriel had come, and had helped her, and though she was wary from Flowey's attempt to kill her, she wanted to believe that Toriel was a good person. And she  _was_. She was such a kind mother to her. Her pies were delicious, though her snail pie could have definitely been...not slimy...or salty..it was made with love and care for a complete stranger. She would always be grateful to Toriel, for everything. It was hard when she had decided to leave, she hated to leave Toriel behind, in fact, she had begged for Toriel to come along with her, heartbroken instead when she was attacked by her adoptive mother at the exit of the Ruins. She had understood though. Toriel was lonely and wanted to be with someone...anyone..so long as they hadn't killed another person. The tears that they both cried when Frisk left still stung at her eyes even now and she let them prickle and fall down the sides of her face.

The cold when she had exited those lovely Ruins was something she had never experienced in her life. It was a wet cold, the cold that seeped past her clothes and deep into her bones. When she was attacked by those monsters outside the Ruins and had managed to flee, she knew that she had reset a few times from succumbing to the cold. Once, she had even watched her SOUL, so vibrant and red, actually freeze. The ice had crept up it from the point at the bottom, and had slowly encased it in a layer of ice. Her eyes had closed and then they were open again. She had never been wounded, though she remembered that she had, and did better when she came across the dog squad the second time. Then, she had met a skeleton. She screamed right in his face the first time they met and ran away before she could even be engaged in a fight. Thinking back on it, a chuckle escaped her lips.  _What a shit kid you were, Frisky._ But while running, she had gotten lost and ended up running off a cliff into icy water below. Another reset, and she met the skeleton again. But this time was different...Before she could run, she felt her body held still. She couldn't run that time.  _He_ had her firmly in his grasp. His smile when he spoke to her and the fact that she fell for that silly prank immediately began to put her at ease and it hadn't been long after that that her began to look forward to seeing him. That time the two had met up at Grillby's and he made she spill way too much ketchup on her food, which worked out well once she discovered his obsessive love of the red stuff. There was something about him, that made him her favorite person over all the other friends that she met, something that set him apart from the others. The hot dog balancing game, and the puzzles that his brother set up and watched her solve, they were special places in her heart and she couldn't understand why she had ever forgotten in the first place. Frisk remembered that that timeline had ended in the best way..everyone had made it out to the surface. But it hurt, too. She knew She had a family, a good family out there, and that they were worried about her. But she also knew that they were very close minded about somethings, being friends with monsters would definitely not be allowed. So Frisk reset. 

But this time, things were different. A voice echoed throughout her mind constantly, urging her to do terrible things, and she fought them back as best she could. However, they took over during one of her scenes with Mettaton, killing the poor robot. Things began to change drastically after that. She had reset after his death to prevent it from happening again, but this time the voice took control and did a True Reset. The next few timelines she didn't have control, she could only watch as the malevolent spirit controlled her body. The most difficult part was getting to her best friend...seeing the disappointment in his eyes, his pain. his utter hatred that he felt towards her. It hurt more than the mental torture that the spirit had put her through. Everytime she, it, fought against him, she hoped he'd kill her over and over. But as reset after reset took place, the demon became more malevolent...more _skilled_. They memorized the attacks until eventually...they won. However, that victory wasn't enough for them, so they True Reset again. They would beat the smiling skeleton, the Judge, and when they won, they wanted more and more victory. They beat him two times before she finally managed to rip control back from them. But by then, it was too late. She tried to spare her friend, and smiled through the pain when they killed her. She had thanked them before doing another True Reset.

This time, she made sure she did everything right, but when she met her friend, she could see how much he loathed her. And that's when it hit her. He _remembered_  like she did. She had wanted to tell him so bad about what had happened, but she knew he'd never believe her. So she worked at other things. She avoided his brother this time, not wanting to upset her friend. She made it to the echo flowers before she allowed her tears to fall. She told the flowers everything. It wouldn't change anything, but talking about it helped her heal, just a bit. Her betrayal still stung, but her guilt had eased off, just a bit. she kept going without rest until she had made it to the Judgement Hall. He had let her pass, but told her to never come back. She agreed and promised him that he would never see her again. Once again, the monsters were made free, but this time, instead of returning home, she stayed in the wilderness. She couldn't face her family, and she couldn't face the monsters again. She lived alone until she was in her mid twenties. But the guilt never fully left, and continuously ate at her SOUL. Her determination to live grew less and less as she knew she should die. It was only right. She had left her home before the sun had risen and began her hike back up the mountain. It had been over a decade that the monsters had been made free. She knew that they wouldn't be returning to the mountain. She made it to the hole around lunchtime but she refused to eat. No point if she was going to die. She didn't fall this time. She jumped head first.

Surprisingly, she didn't die when she hit the ground, nor was anything broken. Frisk began her journey through the Underground once again. This time, she relived all her memories, the good and bad.There was one place she had to see though. She passed through the Ruins, and through the now empty Snowdin. It made her heart ache but she had no right to yearn for the past. She made her way to the echo flowers in Waterfall. Her eyes had immediately picked out the echo flower that she had spoken to all those years ago. Brushing her hands against the flower, she expected to hear her confession spoken back to her. But instead, it was a different confession. A different voice she had no difficulty placing. How could she forget his baritone...?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_"Something is different, I can't place it though..The human wasn't covered in dust when she left the Ruins this time, and when Judged, she had no EXP...no LV. This timeline was different. She completely avoided Papyrus, as far he knows, no human ever was down here in the first place, which is just fine with me. No chance for her to go Genocide again. But last time...why did she thank me..? I don't fully understand, but I don't think that was the same kid as the first time. No, definitely wasn't that same brat that ran away from me and straight off that cliff. Her eyes were different. But that doesn't matter. We won't see her again, which is good. Even though she was innocent this time, it was hard not to kill her the moment she came back. I heard her confession on this flower, so she sounds sorry. But no one can trust her. We won't be able to tell if her evil spirit, that damn Chara, will return or not. I'm not risking it though. Hopefully that brat keeps her promise and stays the fuck away from monster kind."_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While she hadn't expected a different confession, she was not shocked over it's contents. She knew that he would never forgive her for her actions and she didn't blame him. After all, even though it wasn't technically her, she still hadn't forgiven herself. She gathered herself up and made her way back to Snowdin. She refused to leave the mountain and she knew where she wanted to be. It had been so long since she had seen it. She wanted to see those good memories as she died. Hiking through the snow, she made it to a large oak door. Pushing it open, she walked inside and noticed that other than a thick layer of nonmagical dust and stale air, the place looked exactly the same. The TV hadn't moved, and the Green couch was still there. The pet rock was gone, probably taken up to the surface with the others, and the sock by the TV still sat there, those silly post-it notes attached to it after all these years. Frisk gently sat down on the dusty couch, surprisingly, it was still comfortable. She laid down on it and waited for death.

Or that had been the plan. She drifted to sleep but was shocked to find herself not alone when she woke. Staring down at her from the balcony was a familiar sight. But it couldn't be him. He was up on the surface with his amazing brother. So she rolled over and ignored the ghost. 

"That's not any way to greet a skeleton, especially when you're in his house." Oh great, now she was hearing things, maybe she'd die soon, hopefully she would, she had thought.

"You're just in my head. The owners of this house are on the surface enjoying life. I came here to die, though you're welcome to stay and talk with me until that happens." She had spoken, mostly to herself. "After all, I deserve this. You know what I've allowed to happen. You were the only one to remember. I can't get over the guilt of my sins. You Judged me as innocent, but we both know I let that stupid spirit to take over me. We both know that the last time, I did my best to make things right, but it didn't erase my mistakes." 

"You were Judged innocent because you didn't commit those crimes. Someone else did, using your body as a vessel. There is no reason for your guilt.  _Tibia_ honest, I was too harsh on you in the Judgement Hall, but that was due to fear, kiddo." The baritone voice spoke, much closer now. 

"Ha!" a short bark of laughter shot from Frisk's mouth, "I must really be losing my mind if I've conjured you up to forgive me. We both know that kids like me should be burning in Hell."

Frisk had been okay with the talking, but when a strangely solid and heavy hand touched her arm, she murmured to herself, "I guess I got a good imagination if I can feel you. Either that, or you're really him, but I doubt that." With that, she turned to face him.

"But...I'll bite. Let's _ketchup._  How are you doing? Is everyone happy on the surface?"

A snicker from him. "We're all good, kiddo. I'd say everyone misses you, but Papy never met you this time. Toriel and Asgore are back together, they've been busy with getting humans comfortable with us. Undyne and Alphys are also together, and Paps even found love with that god awful robot. They were pretty upset when you left and didn't become the ambassador, but I suppose that was my fault. When they found out what I had said to you, they had me keep an eye on you, even made me make sure you were okay with your family. Imagine everyone's surprise when you dropped off the grid. You weren't too hard to find, but you already established yourself at the base of the mountain when I caught up to you. Due to reasons, I keep a firm watch on you. So you colored me shocked when you suddenly went back up the mountain. Then when I saw you jump, I almost didn't catch you in time. So you want to die, is that right?"

As he spoke, you listened carefully. You didn't really believe what he was saying, but you had hoped that it would happen that way when you left them. 

"Good," you felt yourself safe. "What about you? Do you still owe Grillby that tab? 'Bout time you cover that."

"I'm good, kiddo. And nah, I've paid up finally. My debt was anything but  _humerus._ But to more important business..Let's start over, Frisk." 

"No point, I'm gonna die and when I do, I'm not resetting. I'll stay in the void until the world collapses. You deserve your happy ending. Find you a nice girl, settle down, and let me die." She bit back at him. More quietly, she said, "I've got no right to reset. I've never had that right. I should have just sucked it up that first time everyone escaped. I didn't want to lose you guys..." Her voice trailed off in a whisper as she looked into her old friend's eyes. Her vision was getting fuzzy from unshed tears.

"How about this, I'll punish you one last time, you True Reset, and we become pals again." He offered. "Why? So  _it_ can possibly take over again? I'm not risking the life of your brother again. Besides, I gave my word, remember? I wouldn't come back into the lives of monsters. It's best this way. I've done too much that time cannot erase. But you can kill me if you want. Hell, I'll even beg. Please kill me, Sans." 

"And you've done a great job of keeping that promise, but you've suffered enough. Come back to the Monsters, kiddo. We miss ya." His grin lit up his face and he had held out his hand. 

"You always win, don't you?" You asked, sitting up and placing your hand in his. 

"Yup, I'm a real bonehead. Now get ready, I'll do this as fast and painless as I can." 

With that, he had summoned his largest Blaster and erased her in an instant. 

 

She True Reset.

 

When she opened her eyes, she was back on the golden flowers. She made her way through the Ruins with Toriel, polite, but distant. She didn't want to give this wonderful monster any kind of attachment to her that may hurt her in the future. It was easy to leave and it was hard to leave. Toriel didn't fight her, and instead let her go. Frisk didn't complain, but quickly walked out of the Ruins. Sans was waiting for her outside the door. He stayed with her the entire way this time, even to the final battle with Asgore. Monsters were saved again, and they spilled out into the world. Frisk's guilt and depression hadn't left, despite everyone's acceptance of her. She had talked with Sans on more than one occasion that she didn't deserve this. But this time, he made her stay as their ambassador. She did her best, and over the years, she had began to finally feel like her debt to the monsters was being repaid. Her depression began to disappear though she always felt guilty. She loved her monster friends and family, but it did little to help her. During her up days, she began to develop romantic feelings for a certain skeleton and it seemed he had the same feelings for her as well. But on her down days, it was all she could do not to end it. Sans stayed by her side and helped her on those days, and she helped him when he felt hopeless as well. Decades passed and when she was in her forties, Sans proposed to her. In their wedding vows, she promised that she would reset if she died before her husband but if he died before her, she would end it. 

 

She died in a car accident that year from a drunk driver. 

 

A True Reset.

 

And she and Sans got together again.

 

She died of old age, and reset again.

 

But this time, things were different. She fell later. She was older. And everything was different.

 

 

 

 

 

Frisk opened her eyes, the memories of the past retreating from her mind. She had truly remembered. 

It was time for her to go. She had to get out of that room and find him. She needed to see him. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Lift your head._

 

 

 

 

 

 

She did. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Remove the bones._

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a cry of pain, she did. She was free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Stand and walk out of here._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Her determination somehow healed her as she walked. Her injuries disappearing, the pain abandoning her body. She now recognized her location. She was in the True Lab. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Get out of here and find him._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She walked out of the True Lab. She walked out of the Lab and slowly made her way to her love.

 

She made it to the Judgement Hall, and he was sitting on the floor, facing away from her. If he heard her, he made no indication. She sat down behind him, her back pressed against his.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Don't come back, huh? That's kinda harsh, babe. Here I was thinking you loved me." She said, her voice hollow. 

"I do, that's why I wanted you to stay dead. Seems like you still can't listen to me though." He replied, his deep voice bouncing off the walls. 

"What can I say? I let you win all the time, I should get to not listen on occasion. Besides, what's the score? Sans-376/Frisk-Chara-2?"

"Hmm..something like that. So is she really gone?"

"Yeah, my head doesn't feel crowded anymore. Haven't felt that since the first time."

"Good."

"What should we do now, Sans? Should I reset to save the others who didn't make it?"

"Well, that's up to you. Under normal circumstances, I'd throw you a  _bone_ because not everyone was killed. But this isn't normal, is it?"

"No, not really." She turned around and gently wrapped her arms around her love's shoulders. "I'll make this right, my darling."

He turned to face her, still in her embrace, and returned the affection. Their foreheads tenderly pressed against each other and then Sans pressed his teeth against Frisk's soft lips. She returned the kiss with fervor and desperation. He sent pleasant shocks of magic through her and it only took a moment for them both to flush and heat to build. He bit roughly at her lips while at the same time laying her down on the hard floor. She eagerly tugged at his jacket and then his shirt before stroking his sternum. She moved her lips away from his and wrapped them around his clavicle and then his vertebrae. He let out a quiet moan as she began to tease him. He pulled back and let his materialized tongue stroke over the crest of her ear before he nipped at her lobe. He felt her squirm beneath him and using his hips and his free hand, he pinned her to prevent her from moving so much. She gasped and brought her hand against his back, scratching it gently and making him purr from pleasure. In a moment, his magic had ripped her torn clothes from her body and he barely noticed her skin had healed up, her body unbruised and unbroken. She arched closer to him as her bare skin made contact with the cold marble underneath her. His face slipped away from hers and his iridescent cyan tongue flicked out against her hardening nipples. A gasp escaped her lips and his hands came down to grip her tits, the skin softer than silk, and beautifully blemish-free. Her hand slid behind his skull, holding him close to her. They both needed this contact. They needed to feel grounded with each other after everything they had gone through. Sans slipped lower, the glow from his shorts touching Frisk's bare leg as he worked his way down, kissing and licking at her ribs, her stomach, and her hips, before finally, slowly moving further down, past her wet folds and nibbling on the skin on the inside of her thighs. Frisk gasped softly, before groaning in disappointment as he teased her.

"Sans, don't keep me waiting any longer please."

He obliged, beautiful blue tongue slipping between her soaked skin and dancing around the hot and swollen nub that decorated the top of her sex. He sent sparks of magic against her as he dipped his tongue in and around her. She moaned and to him, it was the most lovely and spellbinding sound that he had ever heard. He wanted to hear that sound more, so he worked her slightly harder before she was begging him not to stop. He smirked and took his tongue away. She sent a lust-filled glare down towards him and he flipped her over quickly. Knowing instinctively what he wanted, she lowered her stomach closer to the ground, arching her back while he removed his shorts. His thick cobalt bulge rubbed against her, between her stunning womanhood and became slick with her wetness. He tapped it against her delicate nub before pressing against the opening to her sex. The tip slid in easily and they both gasped and shuddered in pleasure. Sans kept up the pressure, embedding himself within her until every inch of him had found room within her tight silken walls. Slowly, he began to thrust, getting a steady gentle rhythm. Once she was used to the patterned movement, Frisk began to move in time with him, and he took that as his cue to speed things up. He eagerly dove into her harder and rougher, her moans echoing harmoniously in the Judgement Hall while he began to pant with pleasure and exertion. _God she was so perfect and tight. Her voice making these pleasured filled notes just for me._ He couldn't contain his excitement and pounded roughly into her. She bucked against him and when his boney hand snaked down her hips and between the front of her legs, skeletal fingers playing carefully with her sensitive bulb, she felt a heat building deep within her stomach. Every second that passed made her get closer and closer to the eruption of heat. Sans was also feeling the effects of her tight pussy clamping around his hard member. He kept playing with her, he needed to feel her orgasm around his cock. He had to make sure she was good before he would allow himself to finish. He used some additional magic to surround her SOUL, showering him with the sensations she was feeling as well as letting her feel the pleasure that her body was bringing him. It was enough. She moaned loudly as her walls tightened in quick succession, her wetness cascading down her thighs and around her partner as he rode out wave after wave of her pleasure. It was enough for Sans. Mere seconds after she came, he followed suit. He plunged his cock deep within her, filling her with with his hot sapphire cum, a groan escaping from behind his teeth. A moment passed, and he shuddered as he pulled himself from her body, the tip of his cock still extremely sensitive. Exhaustion began to overtake them both after their rut. Sans wrapped her tight in his arms and teleported back to his locked room. They collapsed on the bed together and quickly fell into deep sleep.

 


	21. Vigésimo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OK guys, so this chapter is the LAST one! I kinda ended it because I've got ideas for a new story and also because I felt like it was a logical place to end this Tale. It is a rushed chapter to the end, but i don't believe there are any loose ends left for me to take care of. I hope you all enjoyed it and I want to thank you for sticking with me and offering words of encouragement. I am thankful for the support, the kudos, the bookmarks, and the comments. And with that final thanks, here is the end of Duendertale!

Frisk opened her eyes and saw only darkness. A weight was draped across her waist, familiar in its intimacy. A smile of contentment graced her face, and she reveled in the comfort that her lover's arms gifted her. 

_Finally, I have this again..but I've got to make things right. I'll see you soon, darling Sans._

With that final thought and hope griping her SOUL, she pulled up the menu. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_R E S E T_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was back in the Ruins..On a bed of yellow Ranunculi. Walking through the walkway, her eyes met those of the one that spoke.  _Flowey._ He started off his usual greeting, one that she now remembered, not only from the previous play, but from all the past timelines, from all the times that she fell. This time, just to mess with him, she dodged his little 'friendliness pellets', laughing at the frustration the little flower showed her. 

"Asriel, let me pass. You don't wanna get chased away by Toriel, do you?" A glare shot her way along with another bullet.

"Fuck off, Frisk!"

"Come with me, I've got a plan to restore your body to you."

His eyes glinted with evil, "You'll let Chara come back and take your SOUL?"

"No, she's gone. Forever. But I need you to trust me, Asriel. I want to help you. Otherwise I'll just stay here until you say 'yes'." His eyes glinted darkly. She had always had more Determination than him, she would wear him down eventually. Might as well get this over with.

"....Fine." He grumbled, half hoping she wouldn't hear him. 

That wasn't the case as she gently scooped him up and set him on her shoulder before running through the Ruins. Halfway through, she quite literally ran into Toriel. 

"C-child? What is wrong? Why are you running?" She looked up at Frisk, who had pushed her down into a tight hug. Her arms began to pat around Frisk's head and shoulders, "Are you hurt, my child?"

"No, I'm fine. I just was so lonely and you somehow reminded me of my mother.." Frisk mumbled into the neck of the larger goat duende. 

"Would that make you happy, to call me...mother?" A nod and a tighter hug ensued. Toriel perked up and let her know that that would be perfectly fine. An invite to her home and Frisk stayed right on her heels, her hands wrapped around her furry arm. Frisk greatly looked forwards to the Butterscotch and Cinnamon pie, and strangely enough, her Snail pie as well. She had missed Toriel in her entirety. 

Flowey wasn't happy with that, and kept making jabs at the both of them, which they promptly ignored after Toriel shot the flower a harsh look. He seemed to wither under her gaze slightly, while Frisk reminded him to be good, eliciting a growl from him. It didn't take long for them to make it inside. Toriel made great haste to make a presentable pie along with some proper supper while Frisk busied herself about the kitchen, an ill-tempered ranunculus tangling his vines and roots in her hair so he didn't fall off. 

They sat down at the dinner table together and made friendly conversation. Frisk didn't want the lovely conversation to stop, but she had to get the hard part out of the way so that she could play her role. 

"Momma Tori," she started, "I know you will likely not approve, but you see, I need to get to the King. I've made a promise to a friend that I'd get everyone out of the Underground."

"No, my child, I cannot allow it. They would kill you should you try to leave. No, it is best for you if you stay here."

"You remember the outside, don't you? The sun, the moon, the stars. You remember the seasons and how they change. I want to give them back to you, and to the other duende that live here. It's time for you all to live on the surface, as equals with the humans. I can gift you your freedom, and help you come to an arrangement with us humans. I know how to do it without letting them kill me. I just need you to trust me, please, momma."

"You would go even if I tried to stop you, wouldn't you, my Frisk?" 

A nod. "Yes, for you."

"Very well, then please go soon, and good luck." Tears threatened to fall from the goat monster's dark eyes. She didn't trust Frisk, but she wanted to believe in her. A kiss brushed softly against her furry cheek and Frisk ran down the stairs, Flowey gripping her hair and screaming and cursing her to slow down. A peal of laughter escaped her throat as she ran to the door, throwing it open with all her might. The familiar and chilly stretch of a snowy path laid before her and her flower duende pushed closer into her hair for warmth. Wasting no time, and knowing her favorite part was before her, she picked up the pace. She had to get to that spot, where she would see his familiar grin. She passed that thick branch that was too heavy for her to carry. It snapped, and she didn't bother turning around. Even when she heard the shuffling of feet behind her, and her lungs burned with the effort of running, she didn't turn around. 

Frisk was stopped at that bridge with the fence. Her SOUL blue with his safe magic. A grin erupted on her face, heart singing and fluttering at the excitement of seeing her grinning skeleton. She couldn't wait anymore. 

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Cantaloupe."

"Cantaloupe who?"

"Sorry darling, but we  _cantaloupe_ just yet."

"Heh, nice, kiddo. My turn. Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Honeydew."

"Honeydew who?"

"Oh,  _honey..dew_ I love you!"

A blush mixed with genuine laughter escaped Frisk's lips, and her ears heard the sound of his own laughter, followed by a groan from the hidden flower. She was suddenly turned around and she found herself with his teeth crashing into her supple lips, his arms tight around her body. He pulled back, and his eye lights looked down at her softly, love and warmth radiating from within. It was almost enough for her to forget the cold, especially when the emotions that he stirred within her matched with the butterflies in her stomach and her heart doing somersaults in her chest.

 _God I love this man_. She thought. 

"Ya gotta let me go, boneboy. I gotta get to Asgore, unless of course, you wanna give me a lift?" She said with a wink towards him. He flushed blue and teleported away from her, leaving her in the snow alone. She smiled, it was going to be her last time in the Underground and she didn't want to miss a thing. Sans knew that, and so she would play one last time. She spared her way past the Snowdrakes and Dog Squad, helped the grouchy Gyftrot, and finally found her dear friend. Papyrus lifted his head when he saw her.

"SANS! IS THAT A HUMAN?!"

"Naw, bro, that's a rock."

"OH.."

"What's that behind the rock?"

"OHMYGOD! (IS  _THAT_ A HUMAN)?"

"(Yes)"

"(OHMY _GOD_ )!!"

"Hiya Papyrus! Did you know you're famous? You're renowned amongst us humans as being the best monster with puzzles ever!" She yelled, hands cupped around her mouth, excitedly. Flowey grumbled something about why he had to put up with all the sappy and useless bullshit that Frisk firmly ignored. A deep orange blush graced the skeleton's cheekbones and a smile took over his face. 

"SANS DID YOU HEAR THAT?! I"M POPULAR!!"

"I did, bro, all your hard work paid off. You're so cool."

"NYEH HEH HEH HEH!! HUMAN! I KNOW THAT YOU ARE SURELY AWESTRUCK AND STARSTRUCK UPON MEETING ME, THE GREAT PAPYRUS!! YOU MAY MARVEL AT ME FOR THE NEXT MOMENT AND THEN I MUST CAPTURE YOU AND TAKE YOUR TO MEET THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! THEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HAVE FAME, RECOGNITION, AND EVEN MORE POPULARITY! I WILL BATHE IN A SHOWER OF KISSES!"

"First, can I solve your puzzles and take you on a date?" His blush deepened and he turned to his brother.

"SANS! THE HUMAN WANTS TO DATE ME! HOW CAN I LET THEM DOWN EASILY?!"

"Go on the date and just let them know that you don't feel the same way. They won't take it hard if you do it that way, I promise bro. You'll actually look cooler to them because you'll hang out with them." Sans said with a wink.

"OKAY, THANK YOU, BROTHER! AHEM! HUMAN! I WILL DATE YOU IF YOU CAN BEAT MY PUZZLES!" 

"You mean it?" She asked, her eyes sparkling.

"YES! NYEH HEH HEH!!"

Frisk then proceeded to solve the puzzles, going slow, pausing here and there to make it appear like she hadn't already solved these puzzles in the past. She occasionally risked a glance at the skelebros, pleased that Papyrus looked happy and Sans was relaxed, admiring his cool little brother. Eventually she made it and smiled expectantly up at Papyrus.

"YOU DID WELL, TINY HUMAN! YOU ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AS ME, WHICH IS REALLY SAYING SOMETHING, SINCE I AM THE BEST! NYEH HEH HEH! NOW LETS GET READY FOR OUR DATE!" He picked her up and ran as fast as he could to his home, Frisk thrown casually over his shoulder and Sans tucked under snugly under with other arm, a wide grin on his face. 

In no time at all, they were carefully placed on the couch inside the Skelebro's home. 

"SANS! MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT ESCAPE! I MUST GET READY FOR THE DATE!" 

"Sure thing, bro."

Papyrus ran up the stairs, door slamming behind him. 

As soon as they heard it, Sans and Frisk started to kiss passionately, blue tongue exploring her mouth while her lips moved smoothly over the curvature of his bones. A skeletal hand drifted to her chest, right over Frisk's SOUL. It was encased in blue magic, Sans forming waves in ripples against her red SOUL, washing her body in pleasure. She felt a heat burning in her body, begging for release. Just as she was about to beg, her flushed face and bedroom eyes used in full power against Sans, the door on the balcony slammed open, causing the human and skeleton to jump back in shock. Flowey growled in her ear, "stop that when you have me here, stupid Frisk." Sans gave a sharp glare to her hair, but chose not to comment on the presence of the little yellow duende.

Papyrus descended the stairs. "I AM READY NOW, HUMAN! LET US BEGI--WAIT. ARE YOU OKAY? YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING A FEVER. PERHAPS WE SHOULD DATE WHEN YOU'RE FEELING BETTER."

"Nah, Pap, she's fine. She's just a bit  _hot and bothered_ because of the puns I was telling her." Sans said with a wink. She let out a breathy laugh as Papyrus stamped his foot. 

"BROTHER! WHAT HAVE i TOLD YOU ABOUT YOUR INCESSANT PUNS?! THEY ARE IN POOR TASTE!"

"Hey now, my puns are im- _pasta_ -ble to give up."

"SANS!"

"That one was totally _palatable_ , bro"

"KNOCK IT OFF, SANS!"

"No need to get mad  _fusilli_ reasons" 

"NYOO HOO HOO!"

"You're smiling, bro."

"I AM AND I HATE IT!"

"Enjoy your date. Also, she told me that her favorite food is spaghetti, maybe you can make her some?" Sans said while he directed a sadistic wink at Frisk. It was all she could not to groan. 

After that, he popped out of the room, to go wait for her further down the path. Frisk and Papyrus were left alone and it didn't take much time before the tall skeleton duende got in the kitchen and made them both some of his special pasta. They ate, and spoke about pasta, puzzles, and how amazing Papyrus was. But once they finished the meal, which took a lot of effort on Frisk's part, he broke the news to her. He apologized while he let her down easily. She understood and graciously was put into the friendzone. She felt Flowey thumping his head against the back of hers in frustration. He was so ready to move on. 

"So now that you've let me down, you want to capture me and take me to Undyne? If you can your brother go, I'm sure you'll both be promoted." A fond smile found its way onto her face, thinking of the hot-tempered fish duende. 

"THAT IS A FANTASTIC AND A SELFLESS PLAN, HUMAN! I WOULD EXPECT A RESPONSE FROM ONLY MYSELF! NYEH HEH HEH!" With that, they set off towards Waterfall, meeting Sans at the border to the wet Underground. It didn't take long before Undyne was spotted, and Papyrus waved her over enthusiastically.

"UNDYNE, SANS AND I CAUGHT A HUMAN!"

"REALLY?! YOU CAUGHT ONE OF THE PUNKS?!" Her yellow eye glinted excitedly against her teal scales. A spear was already materializing in her grasp and she wasted no time in running up to the trio. 

"Wow, Undyne!" Frisk exclaimed happily. "You look so much stronger than I thought you would! I can't believe I'm meeting such a brave defender of Justice in person! Ya know, when I get to Asgore and help break the barrier, you should get involved with the police force! They're dedicated to protecting people and helping others! You'd be perfect for the job! Maybe you can become the head of a city department!"

A blush flushed across the tall duende's face. "P-punk! Ya better not be flattering me to prevent me from capturing ya! Ngahhh!!"

"I would never, I want to be captured! I want to help you guys get to the surface and have your freedom! Will you help me get to the Barrier, please?" "Stop kissing ass, stupid Frisk." Flowey mumbled behind her hair. Luckily, Sans was the only one other than Frisk who seemed to hear him, but he again stayed silent. He knew Frisk had a good reason for helping the little pain. 

Undyne looked at the brothers before sighing and nodding yes. In no time at all, they had made it to Hotland where Undyne had to speed things up to get into the Lab. Alphys had already seen them coming and had water and ice ready for her when the group got there. As she had already been watching, she knew what was going on and agreed to help them get to the king. She called up Mettaton and got him to come along, telling him that him being a part of the Barrier removal would help tremendously with his ratings. 

The ragtag team of monsters and human made haste to get to Asgore. Sans helped Frisk out by calling Toriel and letting her know that she needed to get to the Barrier as fast as she could. She hung up and was somehow waiting for them in the Throne Room. She was happy to see her Frisk alive and safe. They all then continued to the next room, where Asgore was waiting. His eyes widened in shock at the group, and once things had been explained to him, he had the SOULS from the other humans brought to him. 

Frisk pulled Flowey out from behind her hair and set him on the ground. "Okay, Asriel, I'm gonna pull the SOULS into me and then I will gift them to you. I need you to break down the Barrier and then allow the SOULS to leave you, will you do that for me, please?"

"Yeah yeah." He said, leaves crossed in front of him like he was crossing his arms. Toriel and Asgore jumped slightly at the mention of their son, and stared at the flower in awe. Was that really their lost son? 

Frisk carefully let the SOULS into her chest, and they circled and combined into hers. Sans drew it from her chest and warily passed it to Asriel. The flower combined them with his and returned into his original young goat body for a short moment before turning once again into the God of Hyperdeath. He wasted little time before taking down the Barrier, and as he promised, returned to Frisk her SOUL along with the others.

She, in turn, released the SOULS of the dead children, and allowed them to go where it was that they needed to go. But before they left, Frisk asked them if they would want a new life as a monster. Most of them hesitated, but one little Green SOUL considered the idea. It floated down in front of Asriel, who was holding onto his original form by a thread, before sinking into him voluntarily, and accepting the new life. Asriel began to cry, because he he could finally feel something other than hatred and anger. Toriel and Asgore together embraced their son, tears in their eyes as they thanked Frisk. 

With that, they exited the Underground, greeted by the setting sun and the dusk of a clear night. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Five years later_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frisk was waking up to face a brand new day. Today was the day. Monsters had come from all over the globe as they had spread to every city and town, into her small home in Northern Florida. Everyone was gathering near the largest freshwater spring in the world for a first in both monster and human history. Mettaton, Shyren, and Napstablook were busy setting up the stage for the music that was requested for the night. Sans and Frisk stood together at the end of a pier, one dressed in a black suit with an echo flower decorating him. Instead of traditional white, a cyan dress was worn by the girl. It was there that they married in both human and monster ways. A ring and vows passed and shared, and then a public SOUL bond, they promised to each other to love unconditionally and Frisk promised this was the end, that there would never be another reset. And with this promise, they kissed, and were wed as the sun set over the blue spring surface. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

END


End file.
